


Youth Wars Part V: Ghost Story

by ExarSunrider



Series: Youth Wars [9]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Breakout, Horror, Post-Rogue One, Post-Solo: A Star Wars Story, Post-Star Wars: A New Hope, Post-Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Post-Star Wars: Rebels, Post-Star Wars: Resistance, Post-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Post-Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Post-Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Post-Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Post-Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars AU, Starwars - Freeform, Supernatural - Freeform, Suspense, The Dark Side - Freeform, The Force, Very AU, jailbreak, supernatural cave, the light side, weird cave
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2020-11-26 06:15:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20925509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExarSunrider/pseuds/ExarSunrider
Summary: The Jedi trio suffers a devastating loss; in their mourning, they encounter a new enemy. A team is lured again to the cave planet, but are pushed to the brink of their sanity as they go up against dark, supernatural forces. This is the end of the beginning.





	1. Chapter 1

_Clank_

_Screeeeech_

_Clank_

_Screeeeech_

_Clank_

_Screeeeech_

_Clank_

_Screeeeech_

_Clank_

_Screeeeech_

_Clank_

_Screeeeech_

_ **Clank** _

. . .

The feet dreadfully drudged themselves up a couple steps, then proceeded to walk themselves in a straight line until they reached the end of the wooden floor. They turned around ninety degrees and faced the ropes. A buff, masked character put the victims' necks through the rope loops.

"Piracy. The most despised act of criminal in the galaxy. They steal aimlessly, and care for only money. They have no friends."

A cloaked figure walked along the rampart on the concealing walls of the box of public executions. The person ducked down and drew a bow and immediately attached an arrow to it.

"_Ezra_, _are you in position_?" Aang's voice called out via comlink.

"Affirmative."

"_Okay. Don't screw this up. We can't let them kill him_."

"I know; we've been over the plan several times. I won't mess up."

"As you can see, we have captured the galaxy's most infamous pirate, Hondo Ohnaka. The most ruthless of them all-"

The pirates were not paying attention to the voices; they just hoped Hondo had a plan.

"Hondo," One of them whispered, "do we have a plan?"

Hondo had his eyes shut tight, and a tear was beheld running down his cheek.

The pirate knew what Hondo meant and looked down in shock and desperation.

Then quietly, Hondo began to hum.

_The King and his men stole the queen from her bed_   
_and bound her in her bones_   
_The seas be ours and by the powers_   
_Where we will...we'll roam_   
_Yo ho, all hands, hoist the colors high_

The pirates heard him and joined in

_ **Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die** _   
_ **Yo ho, haul together, raise the colors high** _   
_ **Heave ho, thieves and beggers, never say we die** _

"-suspended" The announcer proclaimed.

"_Now_!" Aang rushed Ezra. Ezra stood up and drew the bow under Hondo's feet.

The masked executioner pulled the lever.

Ezra let the arrow loose.

_Whiiiiiiiz_

_ **Crack** _

_Thoink_

. . .

"_Ezra_. . . _Did you save him_?" Aang asked.

Ezra saw the arrow was only an inch away from its target. He went wide-eyed and gasped. His eyes began tearing up.

"_**Ezra!? Did you save him?**_"

Aang only heard some sobs on the other side of the commline.

"_**Ezra**_!" Aang shouted, beginning to tear up as well.

"_I_. . ."

"_**Did you save him**_?" Aang pushed on, hoping it wasn't as it seemed.

. . .

"_No_."

It all hit Ezra and Aang like they were holding planets on their shoulders. They were both soon grieving the loss of their old friend Hondo Ohnaka.

Exar and Jo approached Aang and placed arms around him. "I'm so sorry Aang." Exar condoled.

"I know how it feels to lose someone close to you." Jo added.

"So do I." Aang whimpered among the tears and breath-takes.

The trio dwelled in a moment of silence. Aang then spoke softly through the comm. "You should get out of there, Ezra."

"_Yeah. . . Okay_." Ezra's small voice replied.

"I'm uh, going to transmit the info to base." Exar said.

"The info Hondo bravely stole for us." Aang added quietly.

Exar nodded slowly and said, "Yeah." He looked at Jo, and they both had the same idea.

"We'll be in the bridge if you need us." Exar said, patting Aang's shoulder and gesturing Jo to follow him.

Exar and Jo entered the bridge where Rye, Erickson, and Viran were awaiting a report.

"Did you guys save him?" Viran asked.

Exar slowly shook his head sideways.

Rye sighed. "He was a good friend of Aang's."

"Um, I think Exar and I have something we'd like to do for Aang."

"What is it?" Erickson asked simply.

"Your honor." Bando sided up to Calista, who had a bodyguard entourage. "Might I have a word?"

"Um, of course. Leave us." Calista dismissed. Her guards backed away, only to loosely follow. "What is it?"

"As you know, the sith are relentless and will destin the galaxy to a terrible fate; we must do what we shall to prevent the evil from taking over."

"Indeed. What are you getting at?"

"We need whatever information we can receive to help us. Now tell me, please, I'd like to know about your husbands recent dealings."

"Well ever since the discovery of the sith, all that's he's done is guard a base on Kamino; he was attacked by a sith, which I've figured out. . . was Ephraim." Calista explained. Bando could sense uneasy tension in her, in the whiteness of her knuckles. "Then he returned here, and we took care of that Death Star."

"What do you know about his offworld dealings? His discoveries may give us an advantage. I've done my best and looked all over for some juicy leverage, but have found none."

"I don't know much else other than the attack on Kamino. You'd have to talk to him about it. He left for Kamino a couple days ago; he should be back soon."

Bando seemed to resent that statement. "I don't think he's on Kamino."

Calista blinked a few times, then asked, "What do you mean?"

"I mean: _get down_." Bando shouted before they both dropped onto the floor; from the hangar bay, an explosion erupted, and shards of metal flew across in almost all directions. Bando got on one knee and helped Calista up, while briefly looking into the wreckage. "And by _'get down,' _I mean _'he's here.' _"

Bando rushed to the ship to rescue Bennar. He grabbed the stuck, crushed canopy off the ship and threw it down beside the ship. Bennar was still conscious, but clearly injured. Bando helped him out of the shipwreck as emergency workers put out the flames around the ship.

"Bolen! What hapened?" Calista asked him.

"I was attacked." He answered.

"Bolen?" Bando curiously asked.

Calista and Bennar looked at each other, then Calista said, "Come with us."

"Bolen is my real name; Calista only knew it until now. It's like a seperate identity; but as far as anyone else is concerned, it's a codename. You understand?" Bennar asked.

"I do. I must say: after the mistrust you showed me earlier, I'm surprised you trust me with this."

"Should I not?"

"No reason why you shouldn't. Mistrust creates enemies; enemies create war; war perpetuates mistrust, and the cycle goes on."

Bando contemplated Bando's words.

"Ben, tell us about your attacker." Calista said.

"I only saw him from a distance, but I'll try. His ship looked old, like it was an Imperial design; but it was like no Imperial ship I had ever seen. He, on the other hand, looked old. Old enough to be Imperial. He had a strong aura of hatred, and the dark side surrounded him."

"Another sith? Gee, how many agents can they afford to lose?" Bando asked sarcastically.

"It doesn't matter, as long as we can get rid of them." Bennar said.

The Jedi trio returned to Coruscant from their failed mission, still distressed by the unforseen outcome. They landed on the Jedi temple; they made their way inside, but Rye stopped Aang. "Hey, why don't you get this information to mission command? Finish what your friend started."

Aang looked at the computer chip in Rye's hands for a moment before snatching it and hopping into a nearby speeder.

"You coming in?" Rye then asked Ezra (who was leaning against a wall), hoping for a specific answer.

"I'll wait out here for a while. I need to clear my head." Ezra responded. Rye grinned slightly and hastened inside. Ezra furrowed his brow as he sensed positiveness in Rye's consciousness after he answered. He became curious.

Bennar was alone again, he looked through mission data files again to find more answers. He found nothing under _'Bennar,' _so he then looked under _'Bolen.' _There was only one file, but it was locked. _'Oh.' _Bando thought simply, as if being challenged with a two-pieced puzzle.

He slid his finger into a slot hole in the computer and hacked into the system. Several codes and passwords were bypassed, so he knew he was in the right place. Then the file opened, and he knew he struck gold.

Calista received a notification that a restricted file was unlocked and opened; she knew which file it was. "Bennar." She called to him in the med-bay. "File _Bolen _was opened."

"It's Bando. While you weren't listening, I assigned him to find any useful information that would give us a lead by any means necessary."

"What kind of information could he get?"

"The kind that I wouldn't dare look into again."

Calista barely nodded, in understanding.

"It's a shame. Ephraim was a good help; too bad he was a mole." Bennar said, standing up.

"Ben! What do oyu think you're doing?"

"Completing my mission."

"On Kamino? Bennar, that, assassin could be waiting for you still."

"As far as he's concerned, I died in the crash; there's nothing for him to wait for. Besides, my mission is to help protect the galaxy at any cost, and that includes taking out people like him."

"Ephraim _could've _helped with him." Calista laughed at the irony.

_\- days earlier-_

Kaiyah, Becky, and Ailurah sped through hyperspace with haste so they could save Ephraim from whatever trouble they sensed he was in. Becky -all of a sudden- dropped the ship out of hyperspace.

"Becky, why did we stop?" Kaiyah asked.

"He's not there anymore. Whatever was going to happen to him, didn't happen."

"You mean he's safe now?" Ailurah asked.

"Give me a second." Becky concentrated and tried looking into Ephraim's clearest future; her eyes shot open in horror.

"What?" Kaiyah asked worriedly.

"Whatever triggered a sudden alteration in time just made Ephraim's fate even worse. He's going to be in deep if we don't get to him."

"What are we waiting for? Where is he?"

"I should really teach you guys this stuff, because I'm getting tired of constantly being interrupted from what I'm doing to find something lost." Becky responded before closing her eyes again. "He's on his way back to Coruscant." Then they turned the ship around and set new coordinates in.

When the three girls arrived on Coruscant, they were confronted by Governor Bennar and an escort squad.

"Your honor, is there something we can do for you?" Kaiyah asked.

"This isn't business, Kaiyah." Becky told her quietly, noticing the unfriendly looks on the faces of the others.

"You three are being charged with treason. You have associated with anti-Republic business with the sith known as Sion the second, otherwise known as Erk. You are being sentenced to lifetime banishment from the Republic. You will live out the rest of your days in abandoned outer rim systems under the eye of the Republic."

_'Yeah no this ain't business; it's personal.' _Kaiyah thought. "Where's Ephraim?"

"He's already been sentenced. He's on his way to his final destination, which is where you will all be going now. Follow me." Bennar answered as they turned to move to their escort vessel.

"Your honor! Let my sister go!" Kaiyah pleaded.

Bennar turned in shock; his expression asked_ 'why' _for him.

"She's done nothing wrong. The first time she got involved with anything we were doing was a part of a facade we were putting in front of the enemies' faces. She's committed no crimes. I beg you, let her go." Kaiyah clasped her hands together.

Bennar saw honesty and sincerity in her eyes and sensed she was telling the truth. "Okay." He started out. "But we will have an eye on her just in case. We can never be too careful."

"Thank you." Kaiyah breathed out, pressing her palms agains her chest, as if restoring her heartbeat.

Ailurah turned Kaiyah to the side and faced her. "Kaiyah, you didn't have to do that. Now we'll be separated for life. I would rather spend life with you in exile than without you here."

"But you'd be living, sentenced for a crime you didn't commit." Kaiyah reasoned.

Ailurah shed a tear and embraced her sister. "It's not fair." Ailurah whispered into her ear.

"I know, but it's all for a good cause. We'll be alright." Kaiyah whispered back, pulling back and winking at her behind Bennar's back.

Ailurah felt slightly relieved, but disturbed nonetheless by the sudden happening.

"Come with us, now." A guard said as he and another grabbed Kaiyah and Becky's arms and pulled them along.

_-present day, but still **a** _ _ **long** _ _ ** time ago in a galaxy far, far away-** _

Ailurah hung around her quarters, depressed at the thought of not being able to have contact with her sister or her friend. She stared at a holo-pic of her and her friends and thought to herself, _'I'll get you guys back. Somehow, but I'll do it.'_

Aang went back to the temple from turning in the information that was retrieved. Ezra was still hanging outside. "You alright?" Aang asked.

"For now."

"C'mon. Let's go inside." Aang invited. Ezra lingered outside for a second before following Aang inside.

When they went inside, they were startled at the sight. Somehow, in the half hour they were outside, their team had organized a near-perfect funeral for Hondo. Granted they didn't have his body, but Aang and Ezra were grateful for this event nonetheless.


	2. Chapter 2

Bando hung outside while the funeral commenced. He too was a friend of Hondo's, but didn't go in because other things were going on in his mind. He was afraid if he was in there, his emotions would set him off; he knew that was something the Republic couldn't have. Bando was never one to break under death, but knowing what was going on in the galaxy was slightly overwhelming even to _him_.

He remembered reuiniting with him during his times with the Ghost crew and the joy that he experienced seeing him again. Now he knew that wouldn't happen again, but he still wasn't too surprised; he too was getting old, so death was bound sometime soon.

_ 'Who was that assassin?' _Bando thought, redirecting his train of thought. _'__**Bolen**__ was on his way to Kamino to help oversee an army production; he was stopped short. . . 'He left a couple days ago; he would've reached Kamino in time before he could be attacked. The assassin must've gotten to him when he was on his way back. __**Why **__did he attack the governor? What did he hope to gain by killing him via ship in space?'_

Bando had been able to get a clue off of the stone Aang brought back from the cave, and he waited for a proper time to reveal it to the trio. Of course, right after a funeral wouldn't be the best option; but given the circumstances, they couldn't afford to wait to make progress. The sith were still at large and were ready to make their move at any time. Bando just had to.

Once people slowly piled out from the building, Bando turned towards them. Once he saw Aang, he approached him and said, "I apologize not only for this loss, but for my inconvenient timing. I have discovered a clue that may help us."

"If it means the death of the enemy, I'm all for it." Aang said as he walked by Bando.

Bando put his arm around Aang's shoulder and said, "He was my friend too. I will miss him greatly."

Aang gathered Jo and Exar to meet with Bando. Bando had no office, so they strolled through Jedi temple hallways.

"What's up Bando?" Aang asked.

"I may have a lead." He replied. "The stone you brought back was basically a plain brick. I figured you wouldn't have been given it for no reason, so I made a risky move."

"Mhm." The three hummed.

"I shaved a two centimeter layer off of it."

"Like a fossil?" Jo suggested.

"In a way. Except when I uncovered, it was more like a cave drawing."

Everyone stopped.

"What drawings?" Aang asked.

"It was a circle; and inside the circle, a continuous swirl spun in it. Hypnotic, it was."

"Whatever it means, it will help us defeat the sith." Aang said.

"Was there anything else on the drawing?" Exar asked.

"There was, but interpretation eludes me. It was difficult to make out."

"By the description, I doubt it's a lollipop. Ancient drawings like these usually depict something beyond their knowledge." Jo said.

"Good point. This is something we'd see nowadays, but something probably yet to be fully realized." Aang said.

"Can you carbon date the drawing to determine how old it is?" Aang asked Bando.

"Maybe. I was never a geologist, but maybe."

"Whatever it is, it will be our key to-"

Aang was interrupted as a blaster bolt was seen pushing into Aang's chest.

Bando jolted his head to the source of the blast and jumped out the window. He activated his boot jets and charged full speed. He saw the sniper jump off the building and start flying too. They went at equal speed. Bando thrust one arm forward, and a blaster formed around his hand; he fired and fired, but the shots didn't affect the assassin.

Exar and Jo were in panic, trying to keep Aang conscious. They carried him up to get him to a med-bay. Exar shouted to Republic officials who witnessed the scene, "Follow Bando! He's after the assassin!"

Bando continued firing at the assassin, but whatever personal shield that protected this foe didn't seem to be wearing off. Bando tried using the force to slow him down, but the enemy turned around and used the force to push back. Bando was shocked at the equal power being displayed. The slow down bought enough time for Republic crafts to launch and pursue.

The assassin managed to free one hand to toss a power destabilizer at Bando, so he could escape. Bando dodged it and gave himself a little boost to catch up. The Republic ships managed to catch up with amazing speed. When the assassin was in range, they rained hell on him.

The assassin threw some thermal detonators backwards; some of the ships couldn't swerve in time so they were taken out. Bando swerved and glided right alongside a building; he reached forward and -with a force burst of speed- pushed himself off the building and tackled the assassin out of the air.

Bando turned him around as they were descending and saw his covered face.

Bando glared into his eyes, then sensed something familiar about him.

_'How?'_

Before they hit the ground, the assassin pushed free and soared back up into the sky. Bando refocused and flew back up. He latched onto the assassin's force signature before he turned behind a building; he followed him, but saw no one when he turned. The force signature was gone. Bando looked around for the imposing figure retreating from the scene, but he was nowhere to be found. He couldn't sense him anymore.

Exar and Jo rushed alongside doctors as Aang was pushed on a stretcher to an emergency room.

"You're going to have to wait outside until the operation is done." One of the doctors said.

"I'm a doctor." Jo piped up. I was one of the best in the galaxy. I can certainly help heal a blaster wound." He continued, pulling up a holodisc. He activated it and showed them a picture of him with a doctor's degree.

"Very well." The doctor agreed.

"You keep that in a pocket?" Exar asked, pointing to Jo's holodisc.

"So I'm a bit sentimental?" Jo replied, walking backwards into the emergency room.

Exar waited outside as the operation preceded. Bando visited him in the hall.

"How is he?" Bando asked.

"Operation's not done yet. It's merely a blaster wound, but it got close to his heart." Exar said. "What happened?" He continued.

"I chased him; I almost had him, but something distracted me."

"He got away?" Exar loudly whispered.

"I had him in my grasp; but in his eyes -under all the evil- I felt a deep connection with him."

"From what Aang's told me about you, I'd think you could be able to figure it out in an instance."

"I tried, but the dark side was clouding my vision."

"How could someone do something like that?"

"Through many millenia, people still have yet to scratch the surface of the possible abilities of the force. This is just another new one."

"Do you not know how to disappear without a trace?"

"Not that way, but I _do _know how to-" Bando cut himself off with a train of thought. He remembered something he had only done once. _'Could it possibly be?'_

"What?"

"He disappeared from sight and I couldn't sense him." Bando repeated.

"Uh. . . yeah."

"I believe I know of something similar -I've done only once- in my old days."

"Oh, okay. My mind is going several places with this. Where are you going with it?"

"That, ghost, was formidable against me. I think he was trained in my ways."

"Someone like you? Who could be capable?"

"Only Geoff could, but. . ."

. . .

"Sorry."

"If this new enemy is as skilled as I am, then the Master may have an edge on us."

"The enemy grows stronger the longer we do nothing about them."

"There's not much _you_ cando under the jurisdiction of the Republic."

"Maybe not now. I'll need permission, and help."

"What do you plan on doing?"

"Imma go after that shuzzbutt and ask him why he tried killing my friend."

"Someone like him? How?"

"Oh Imma tell you how. I'm gonna shove an arm up his crack and work his mouth like a puppet-"

"That's enough information. I get it."

Just then, Jo came out from the room. "We've stabilized the wound, but he'll have to remain here for a couple days."

"That is good." Exar breathed out, sounding exhausted.

"What are we gonna do?" Jo asked.

"I'm going to consult our masters about going after the assassin. I'll take Bando with me; this new opponent won't stand a chance."

"I would typically, but I have other pressing matters to deal with. But keep in touch with results." Bando said, handing Exar a contact card and walking away.

"Hey, has anyone heard from Ephraim? I haven't seen him around recently." Jo said, making Bando freeze.

Bando twisted his feet around, spinning back around to face everyone else. "Ah! That's a little complicated."

"Why? What happened?" Exar asked.

"Well. . . The Lieutenant Governor found out Ephraim was a sith, and told her husband who was attacked by said sith on Kamino. And he. . . had Ephraim and his friends banished. Except the young sister; she didn't committ any crimes alongside the others, so she was just let off with a warning."

"Oh. Where was he sent?" Exar asked.

"Outer rim sector. He was given a choice among a few desolate planets to live out his exile." Bando answered. "Before his sentencing, he told me to give you his contact card." Then Exar was handed Ephraim's new contact card.

"My pockets are going to overflow with contacts." Exar sarcastically affirmed. "Okay, I'm going to ask our masters about the mission. Whenever the assassin strikes next, we'll be ready."

_-Weeks Later-_

The Master paced slowly around in his dark lair, the room lit by a single flame. He was accompanied by one of his assistants, Judro Nedjam. Judro was a Spanish Imperial agent, his skillset almost equal to Erk and Jayko's.

"Mi amigo, you seem uneasy."

"Not uneasy. A new player has entered the field, and he has been interfering with our plans; it has strained our opportunities to move the past couple weeks."

"Oh no. That is no good." Judro stated blankly, not at all disturbed by the changing of plans. "Do you see the good in what's happening?"

The Master turned in curiosity. "I do, but enlighten me."

"This new player is obviously against the Republic; he tried to kill Jedi and fought off Bando Roscoe. He may not be on our side; but if the Republic has an unconnected challenger, that creates an advantage for us."

"The Republic won't be able to stand dealing with us and a formidable vigilante at the same time; therefore dealing with two opponents would put massive stress on their security."

"As long as this new sith is there to keep the Republic occupied, we can safely continue our quest."

"Si. As long as this person doesn't cross _our _path."

"If he does, he will immediately regret it." The Master stated.

"I get all this, but is it the reason you summoned me here?"

"No." The Master answered. "This new player may stress more on the Republic, but Bando Roscoe has returned; his involvement will cause _us _stress. I'm going to. . . meditate. I'll find out what to do next. I need you to watch over the base for a while."

Judro kneeled. "It will be done."

Exar hung around after a Republic meeting with the Follnors, Viran, Vustine, and some other Jedi. When only the Follnors and Viran remained, he approached them with his plan.

"Well the enemy hasn't made a move since the accident with Aang. What will you be doing?"

"Not exactly the question. The next time that sith makes a move, I'll know and my team will be on it. I've planted some inside sources so I will be constantly updated of any suspicious activity."

"Exar, you need to take into account that this guy got away from _Bando _of all people. If he's that formidable, then he could be too dangerous to pursue." Erickson said.

"Even if he's well-trained; remember, we have Mirtis. _I _don't even know his full potential." Exar said.

"Now you're referring to your alter ego as a different person?" Viran pointed out.

"Yeah it disturbs me a little to think of someone like him as myself." Exar said.

"Even if you catch this guy, what then?" Rye asked. "Do you bring him in? Or do you take his life?"

"If he's as powerful as -or more powerful than- Bando, then he's far too dangerous to be kept alive. And if someone that powerful is evil, then he's too far gone." Exar explained.

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely." Erickson concurred.

"If that's the case, then we'll need to keep a closer eye on Bando." Viran said.

"He's someone who has control of his powers; I'm pretty sure he doesn't need to be watched." Exar said.

"In this day and age, we can never be too sure." Viran said.

"Master Viran has a point." Rye said.

Exar glanced at his master for a moment, then said, "A word? If I may."

Rye followed Exar into a hallway where they could talk privately.

"This new enemy tried killing my friend; Bando's friend. Ever since Bando got involved, he's been nothing but a help to us."

"Either that or, for all we know, he could be a wolf in sheep's clothing."

"Might I ask you, 'what are you willing to do for your family? For your wife? For your kids? Your brother?' "

Rye seemed to fumble; he was surprised at Exar's persistence and growing wisdom.

"I want a team so I can go after the monster who tried murdering my friend. Mirtis will take his life; _that's _what I'm willing to do for _my _family, _my _friends, and _my _home. Because of this new Empire, my first real home was decimated."

"Was Dathomir II not your home? Or Tatooine?"

. . .

"My. . . my place is with the Republic; I was born to be a Jedi. My home was Kashyyyk. _Yes_, I do miss Dathomir and Tatooine; _yes_, they helped me become what I am, but it was _here _that made me even _more_. Because of you, Erickson, Aang, and Jo, I've done things I never thought I'd be able to do."

"You feel like taking down this sith will be an accomplishment in protecting not only your family, but what's left of your home."

"Exactly." Exar muttered.

"Well, if that's the way you feel, then, I guess I can't stop you." Rye gave in.

"Thank you, master." Exar said, bowing slightly.

They filled Erickson and Viran in on everything; and luckily, they all agreed.

Before Exar left to gather a team, Rye called him, "Exar."

"Yes, master?" He turned.

"I cannot stop you from doing what you believe is right; but I must advise you, be careful not to let the dark side consume you. It will tempt you when your guard is down; don't let it in."

"I won't master."

"Exar."

He turned around again.

"May the force be with you."

Exar smiled.

"And it with you." Then he left.

Viran came up behind Rye. "He's growing up."

"Indeed. Despite all his secrets, everything seems to work out for him."

"All for the greater good."

_'It's as Exar said himself. Seems as though we may have misjudged his leadership.' _Rye figured. "Yeah." He said slowly and quietly, very much in thought.


	3. Chapter 3

"What's the emergency?" Sabine asked as she and Ezra met Exar for a slight briefing.  
  


"A source of mine says our target has been on the move. We're going out there now to catch him." Exar responded.  
  


"Where _exactly _are we going?" Ezra asked.  
  


"To be honest," Exar said, pushing nearby crates -filled with supplies- into their Republic shuttle, "I have no idea. I've never been there; the coordinates go way off the known star map."  
  


"Woah, woah, _woah_! How far off are we talking? Who's your source and what's _he _doing out _there_?" Sabine asked.  
  


Exar wasn't prepared for that question, but knew he had to come up with something on the spot; he blurted, "All in good time." Then they boarded the ship.  
  


"Why is it a place that far away?" Ezra asked as Exar lifted the ship off.  
  


"You of all people can figure that out. It's because it's an easy place to hide in." Sabine said.  
  


"Luckily, Ephraim is one for explorat-"  
  


"Ephraim's your source?" Ezra asked plainly.  
  


"Yeah. He's an explorer, so his unfortunate exile-ment gave him an opportunity to do more work, outside both sides of our new war."  
  


"What's he exploring for?" Sabine asked.  
  


"Wow! You're one for questions aren't you? He's looking -mainly- for clues to help us defeat the dark side once and for all." Exar replied, putting the ship into hyperspace.  
  


"I don't think so." Ezra said. Exar and Sabine turned around and faced Ezra, who was facing away from them. "You can't kill the dark; not without killing the light as well. Believe me, I've tried. When I was learning under my master, that was all I wanted: to destroy the sith and the dark side. But I learned the hard way that you can never kill the evil that's inside all of us. When one problem goes, more come your way. When I took Thrawn away from Lothal, all of it seemed gone. Then the First Order came along and tried finishing what the Empire started. One problem will arise after the other. Evil is within all of us and is something we cannot destroy. The only way to destroy the dark side, would be to wipe out all life as we know it."  
  


. . .  
  


"_That _was deep." Sabine chuckled.  
  


Exar didn't seem to move. Some of Ezra's words struck Exar in the gut. _'you can never kill the evil that's inside all of us.' _\- _'Can never kill the evil inside me.' _\- _'Mirtis can't die. He's a part of me forever.' _Exar hadn't ever thought about anything like that; but he knew that deep inside, he did want Mirtis gone; but Ezra's statement shook him to the core.  
  


"Hey. You alright?" Sabine asked Exar, snapping her fingers in front of his face.  
  


Exar only blinked once, but still seemed lost in a daze. He then turned back around. "Yeah. Just, lost in a daze."  
  


. . .  
  


"Sabine." Exar called.  
  


"Hmm?"  
  


"What were you talking about with Bando?"  
  


_ **!  
  
** _

"What do you mean?"  
  


"Ezra told me he sen-"  
  


"Ezra!" Sabine smacked Ezra in the arm.  
  


"Hey! I'm talking to you!"  
  


Ezra and Sabine were shocked by Exar's outburst, then decided to listen.  
  


"Ezra told me he sensed that you were unsettled by something Bando told you after you returned from having a conversation with him." He turned his head in their direction. "We'd like to know what it was."  
  


"To be honest, I'm not sure it's my information to tell."  
  


"It was something personal about him?" Exar asked.  
  


"Then it might be best not telling. You know how Bando is with his past." Ezra said.  
  


"Oh! Well, Mandalorians are headstrong and steadfast; not easily broken. What information of _his _could make a Mandalorian shudder?" Exar said.  
  


Ezra tilted his head in curiosity.  
  


"Only if he was a Mandalorian himself. He had only been known as an Imperial sith and a vigilante his whole life; revealing himself to be Mandalorian to another Mandalorian whom he had known for a while is most likely a shocking revelation."  
  


Ezra's expression had widened. "Sabine. . . is that true?"  
  


"I. . . I can't tell you. Why is it such a big significance anyway?"  
  


"It might give us some pointers." Exar answered.  
  


. . .  
  


Long moments of silence.  
  


"How far is this ship going to take us?" Ezra asked.  
  


"Small distance into the Outer Rim, then we'll need to refuel. Why?" Exar asked. Ezra then stood right behind the pilot's seat and leaned his head forward, observing the controls and functions. "Um, what are you doing?"  
  


"This ship doesn't seem to be made for trips like this. Turn around and set a course for Lothal." Ezra grinned.  
  


"We're going to Lothal _again_? What's on Lothal?" Exar asked, pulling the ship out of hyperspace to a complete stop.  
  


"Yeah, I don't follow you either. What's on Lothal that I don't know about?"  
  


Ezra's grin widened.  
  


Kaiyah and Becky were exiled to the planet Huk. They had plentiful amounts of food sources despite the severed planet surface. There were semi civilizations that produced off of the trees, which had time to grow back. Kaiyah and Becky lived in the deep forests, and had all their essentials shipped to them; they were forbidden contact from civil or socializations of any kind. They each had their one pair of clothes to wear because budget issues.  
  


Unbeknownst to the Republic, the force was with the planet, so Kaiyah and Becky's powers thrived. They trained hard every day, and they grew stronger. They meditated and let the force around them manifest in their souls. Though not immensely powerful, they had grown stronger in their time on the planet. They had felt nothing but peace until this day.  
  


Kaiyah was meditating, then the dark side made its move.  
  


"Becca!"  
  


"Ooooh what is it? I know you only use my nickname when you're worried."  
  


"Ephraim's still in danger."  
  


Becky's face then mirrored Kaiyah's. Ephraim was in danger before, and she, Kaiyah, and Ailurah sensed a high risk in both going to rescue him and not going after him. They thought the wheels had turned when Ephraim was suddenly not in danger anymore, but now the same feeling had returned; and in these times, it could only be worse.  
  


"Becky, it's time." Kaiyah said.  
  


Becky reluctantly handed hera wide-range hologram projector, and said, "Are you sure? When the Republic intercepts this signal, we're going to be sentenced to prison and there will be nothing we can, do. . . but you seem not only worried; but at this moment, you seem proud of something." She continued as she saw Kaiyah rummaging through her salvaged belongings. It took a few seconds for it to click to her. Then she laughed. "You found a way to. . . How is that possible?"  
  


"Oh you know, science, technology, convenience. Either way, be thankful I created signalless communication." Kaiyah responded, plugging a chip into the projector.  
  


"That is simply brilliant." Becky complimented.  
  


"I know I am."  
  


"Eeeeh."  
  


"Oh stop." Kaiyah said, typing in Exar's code.  
  


"Exar?" Becky said.  
  


"If Ephraim's in danger, Exar will be the one on the case. I have to tell him." Then Exar popped up on the holoprojector.  
  


"_What? Kaiyah? What are you doing? This is extremely dangerous! If the Republic catches both ends, we'll both be in trouble!_"  
  


"Are you done?" Kaiyah asked. Exar rasied a non-apparent eyebrow. "I managed to create an impossible signalless holoprojector."  
  


. . .  
  


"_Huh. . . What're you calling for?_"  
  


"Ephraim's in danger. We need to save him."  
  


"_First off: I'm busy on a sith hunt. Second off: we?_"  
  


"Yes, I intend to save him. Whatever sith you're hunting could be what Ephraim's in danger of."  
  


"_That's a very risky move, Kaiyah. In this day and age, the Republic's slowly gaining control over us force-sensitives. If we overstep their boundaries, we're done for._"  
  


"As if everything we do isn't risky."  
  


Exar cocked his head to the side. "_You have a point; but every day, the risk grows higher, and higher. Our freedom as Jedi is falling._"  
  


"But we must do what we have to to save the day. Please, let me go with you."  
  


"_How can it be guaranteed that we won't be punished?_"  
  


"We can't. I will do what I must to keep Ephraim safe."  
  


Exar smiled at her loyalty to her best friend. But his grin faded before he asked, "_What about Ailurah?_"  
  


Then Becky was reminded. "Kaiyah, a short word?"  
  


Kaiyah traded gazes, then stepped aside -out of sight and earshot- with Becky.  
  


"What _about _Ailurah? Kaiyah, remember, if you risk your life and end up losing it, we won't be able to train Ailurah properly."  
  


"Even if we could, how do we know it'll come through?"  
  


"We will never know if it doesn't happen."  
  


"I'm sorry Becky, but I _have _to help save Ephraim. I can't let him remain in the hands of the enemy."  
  


Kaiyah returned in Exar's eyesight, then Exar said, "_Send me your coordinates. We'll pick you up._"  
  


"We?"  
  


Transmission ended.  
  


Calista joined Bennar in his office. She wasn't very happy, and Bennar could sense it. "What is it?" He asked.  
  


"The Senate isn't very happy." Calista answered.  
  


"About what?" Bennar asked, swiftly perking up.  
  


"Apparently they didn't like your statement about force deities, and they. . . want you to resign."  
  


"What!?" He stood up aggressively. "That's ridiculous! Why?"  
  


"Some don't approve the subtle jeer you made about it, and the others simply don't approve that you believe in them."  
  


"That's ridiculous! There can't be the force without force gods."  
  


"They say the force is some sort of antigravity trick."  
  


. . .  
  


"That's the most ridiculous thing you told me in the last minute. Wait, so what's about to happen up in the Senate? Are we not-"  
  


"We're discussing your future outside the government."  
  


"But. . . who's going to take my place?"  
  


"Normally I would, but they know I will take your side."  
  


"So what? Are they going to elect someone else?"  
  


"Maybe. That's what else will be discussed."  
  


Bennar slowly sat back down, adapting a look of both concern and shock. "I've been one of the most efficient members of the Republic and the Galactic Senate. What will they do without me?"  
  


Calista knelt down beside his seat and suggested, "Whatever questions you have should be saved for the debate."  
  


"If we're picking up someone seen as a criminal in the Republic's eyes, then there will probably be Republic ships around." Sabine said.  
  


"If she's a criminal, then why isn't she in lockup?" Exar asked.  
  


"Because they need them both to be as far away from any vulnerable spots where a lot of damage could be caused." Ezra answered.  
  


"Mhmmm." Exar hummed as he got an idea.  
  


"Ma'am, an incoming Republic ship has entered the sector."  
  


"Patch it through." The Republic commander ordered. "I am Commander Lirri Wytho. State your business."  
  


_"We're visiting." _Exar responded. _"We're friends of Becky Pahlee and Kaiyah Lomax."  
  
_

"Who is with you?" Lirri asked.  
  


_"Jedi Ezra Bridger and Mandalorian Sabine Wren."  
  
_

"Very well. Wait for an escort."  
  


Some Republic fighters were dispatched from the cruisers and escorted them down to the surface.  
  


"Wow! A lot of forest here." Ezra said.  
  


"Reminds me of Kashyyyk." Exar muttered with a downcast expression.  
  


Kaiyah and Becky were greeted by three Republic ships. From the two on the sides, guards exited and stood beside and behind the two prisoners. And from the middle ship, they saw their friend emerge and face them.  
  


"You guys held up well?" Exar asked.  
  


"I guess." Kaiyah answered.  
  


"How 'bout you Bex?" Exar asked.  
  


"Yeah, as long as Kaiyah's here." Becky replied, inducing a light chuckle.  
  


"It's a shame you guys have to be exiled here of all places." Exar said.  
  


"I _wish _I could be elsewhere." Kaiyah said.  
  


"At least it's not Dagobah." Exar pointed out.  
  


"True. I wish I could get _out_."  
  


"Careful what you wish for. You'd become a fugitive. What would you do if you were let go?"  
  


"Obviously, I would go be with Ephraim."  
  


"But that would put him in danger's way."  
  


"No it wouldn't, because if I get out, I will have been cleared."  
  


"Wishful thinking. So, Ephraim has been 'lost,' and we're rescuing him."  
  


"I don't think so!" A voice called out from behind. They turned and saw Lirri pointing a stun blaster at them. Exar only turned his eyes; his head remained facing Kaiyah. "I know subtlety when I hear it. And you guys, you guys are _bad _at it. Mrs. Lomax isn't going anywhere."  
  


"You know, you're at a slight disadvantage when you point your blaster at me." Exar said, grinning.  
  


"Enlighten me."  
  


"You've made your intentions very clear; adding to that there's one thing you don't know about me and my companion." Exar intimidatingly turned his head. "We're force-sensitive."  
  


Lirri sensed a threat and pulled the trigger to stun him, but the blast didn't go. Exar smiled, then the blaster crumpled into a ball of metal.  
  


Exar didn't seem to care that the Republic guards were pointing their weapons at him. "Now that you're aware of our intentions, let me make it clear. We're taking our friend here on a mission to save one of our other friends and help stop a sith. Consider it community service." Exar reached up to use the force to make her unconscious, but something seemed to block him from doing so. His face became concerned and curious.  
  


"Only a foolish Jedi would make such a risky move without knowing who he's up against first. There's something _you _also don't know about _me_." Lirri lifted her hand and showed him she was holding his lightsaber. "I _too _am force-sensitive."  
  


Exar, Kaiyah, and Becky were all thinking, _'Busted!'  
  
_

Then, explosions erputed around the area, distracting the Republicans for a moment. Exar was able to breathe a breath of relief when Ezra popped behind her and did what Exar couldn't. Lirri collapsed to the ground.  
  


The guards started stun-blasting Exar and Ezra; Sabine got Kaiyah aboard their ship. Exar quickly nabbed his lightsaber back as he absorbed all the stun blasts; they safely boarded the ship.  
  


"Stay safe." Becky mumbled, not making a single move.  
  


"That went easier than expected. What was your guys' plan?" Kaiyah asked as they sat down and lifted off.  
  


"They want to keep you away from heavily populated areas where danger could occur. So we helped keep that policy. We made that area a dangerous one; we're keeping you _away_."  
  


"Ah." Kaiyah said. "So where are we going?"  
  


"Ezra Bridger there says there's something on Lothal that we need. We're heading there, then our journey will have started.  
  


_ **BOOM BOOM  
  
** _

"What was that?" Kaiyah asked.  
  


"I probably should've remembered they have ships too. Strap yourselves in; this area's going to become a little more dangerous."  
  


"Wait, we're not going to fire _back _are we?" Sabine asked.  
  


" 'Course not." Exar replied, swerving around and dodging the incoming blasts.  
  


"Impressive." Ezra complemented. "I think his flying skills would give Hera's a run for its money."  
  


Sabine lightly smacked his arm. "Shut your mouth!"  
  


Exar continued swerving and spinning, persisting upward to reach outer space. There were close shots; they were barely holding on amongst the heavy fire.  
  


"Why aren't we going up and away?" Ezra asked.  
  


"Because the Republic has gotten ahold of hyperspace tracking; they use it for situations like this. If we're going to have a successful mission, then we're going to have to dispose of them."  
  


"I'll be honest, that's a little grim for a Jedi." Sabine said.  
  


"That's 'cause Kanan was the only Jedi you've really known." Ezra said. From a certain point of view, he was right.  
  


"Tryin' to concentrate here!" Exar said as a new batch of blaster fire ran in their direction. "Kriff! They're doubling down!" Exar then got an idea. "Hold on!"  
  


Exar pulled the ship up, speedily backing behind the other two Republic ships. The second they were in view, he fired and fired and fired. He knew he couldn't take their lives; he aimed at the boosters.  
  


He hit the targets, and breathed in relief. Then his eyes widened in horror as the ships started a crash course.  
  


Right into a village.  
  


Exar leaned back, a hand covering his mouth to muffle the gasps attempting to escape his mouth.  
  


Ezra, Sabine, and Kaiyah saw what happened, and too were shocked at the sudden turn of events. Exar pulled the ship to a halt.  
  


"I have to help anyone I can." Exar said; before he could move the ship further, he felt Kaiyah put a hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked at her. "We can't leave them."  
  


"If we stay, we'll get caught." Kaiyah reasoned.  
  


. . .  
  


"Wait. . ."  
  


"What?"  
  


"Can't you control fire?"  
  


!  
  


"Why didn't I think of that first?" Kaiyah thought to herself.  
  


"I know right? Like, _'plot hole!' _" Exar laughed, then he stopped himself. "Goodness! I sound like Jo." He said, opening the ramp.  
  


Kaiyah stepped out and saw the growing fire. She reached out her hands, then started circling them around backwards, as if drawing the fire to her. The fire slowly started rising. As if a symbiotic slime, it 'crawled' into the air towards her; but she didn't let it get too close.  
  


She then stretched one arm in the opposite direction; then like a ball of yarn, the big fireball let out a single, long line. Kaiyah drew the line towards herself, then lifted her arm up in the air; the line of fire went to her then up into the air until it had no oxygen to persist. In a couple moments, the fire was gone.  
  


"Well done." Exa rcongratulated. "Let's go."  
  


Kaiyah smiled, then retreated back inside as the ramp closed.  
  


The ship resumed its course.  
  



	4. Chapter 4

  
Bennar straightened his suit before he stepped onto the platform with his wife. Calista didn't need to force to know he was a nervous wreck; she knew he was, but Bennar did a fairly good job of hiding it.  
  


She grasped his hand and turned him towards her. They stared into each others' eyes for a moment, then Calista lifted her hand and wiped a bead or two of sweat off his forehead.  
  


"It's time." Bennar said quietly.  
  


Calista breathed heavily through her nose and placed her hand on his cheek. The platform started slowly lifting, and the roof started opening up. Once they were in eyesight of the entire Senate, Calista let go and they both faced forward.  
  


They went face to face with the Yuuzhan Vong Senator.  
  


"The Yuuzhan Vong's existance have been ignored long enough; therefore, I have been elected to lead this case." The Senator said.  
  


Bennar's face contorted into one of slight anger, but also determined confidence. "Very well."  
  


"You know, I feel like recurring fan favorite planets are just fan service." Exar said as they drew near their location.  
  


"What is what now?" Ezra asked.  
  


"Oh never mind; it's something I picked up from Jo. I don't really understand it either, but he says I use it well."  
  


Then they dropped out of hyperspace with Lothal in view.  
  


"Although I don't mind coming here. The force is, _very _peaceful here." Exar added.  
  


"Indeed. I feel like I've gained a connection with it."  
  


"Believe him. He's quite attached." Sabine said.  
  


They flew down to the surface and landed next to Ezra and Sabine's home.  
  


"We're gonna need some extra stuff for the trip." Ezra said.  
  


While Ezra gathered some extra supplies, Exar engaged in some conversation with Sabine.  
  


"So, tell me about Ezra. He's an interesting Jedi; a different one at that."  
  


"Well, where do I start?"  
  


"How about his master? I'm curious about his Jedi experience."  
  


"Oh. Well, he was a good friend of ours. Kanan Jarrus. He took Ezra in from the streets and offered to train him. Ever since Kanan started training him, Ezra's basically been training every day. He -as well as the rest of our old crew- went through much loss, but that loss encouraged, more training. I don't know what else to say, so you'd have to ask him."  
  


"Mhm."  
  


A couple more moments passed, and Ezra came back out with a crate of supplies, and the three were back on their way again. Ezra took the ship's control this time and piloted the ship seemingly into the middle of nowhere.  
  


They landed as soon as the ship ran out of fuel. Ezra ran out first and looked around. Sabine, Kaiyah, and Exar followed him out; Sabine asked, "What are we looking for?"  
  


Ezra opened his eyes and ran forward a couple yards. He scooped grass and dirt out of one section.  
  


"Ezra, there's nothing around. Where are-"  
  


Sabine was interrupted as Ezra stomped on the empty spot. A loud, metal clang was hears when his foot made contact.  
  


Ezra stepped back to Sabine and faced where he was standing. He lifted his hand and used the force to pull up. A large ramp opened up from the ground like a door.  
  


Ezra flashed his signature smirk as he led them down the ramp into a dark underground.  
  


Exar flipped down his night vision visor and looked around. "What are all these boxes in here? I can't make out the words."  
  


Ezra disappeared into the darkness for a moment until he switched on the light. They beheld ship maintenance supplies: gun powder, ammo, spare parts, tools, etc.  
  


"Ezra. What's all this for? Stop silently speaking in riddles."  
  


Ezra used the force to lift a wall -which acted as a door- and then Sabine was crushed by huge waves of nostalgia and happiness.  
  


"Wh- wh- what?" After a moment of stuttering, Sabine choked out, "Does Hera know about this?"  
  


_ **   
  
** _

"It was going to be a Mothers Day gift to her, as I just finished the whole thing. I also wanted to surprise you."  
  


"But still, in hindsight it seems like you've been hiding this; she's probably gonna kill you." Sabine laughed.  
  


"Seems like it's an heirloom thing." Exar murmured to Kaiyah.  
  


Kaiyah slowly and barely nodded her head in agreement. "Hey, mind if I inquire as to-" Kaiyah gestured to the sip.  
  


"The Ghost was Hera's ship, and she was one of the greatest pilots of all; Ezra's been hiding this from her, and me. I could've helped bring this up sooner."  
  


"Woah woah, hold on a second! The Ghost? As in, _the_, _Ghost?_ This isn't a cheap copy?" Exar asked, hyping up.

"Yeah. Have you not heard of its pilot Hera Syndulla?"  
  


"Not really."  
  


"Oh we'll have stories to tell." Sabine chuckled in disbelief.  
  


Sabine was walking about the halls of the Ghost, recalling all the past adventures she'd had with her old crew. She walked about the cockpit and the cargo bay and the common room.  
  


She sat in the common room and turned on the holoboard to see if it still worked. She smiled widely when it did.  
  


Then her smile dropped. _'I swear if anything's happened to my room-' _She got up and bolted to her room.  
  


She tried quickly opening her room, but the buttons were slow to respond. "Grr!" She lightly pounded on the door, and it opened then. She quickly ran in, then immediately stopped at the sight.  
  


It was like she had never left, as if she was transported back decades before. Everything was maintained so well.  
  


"I knew you'd like it." Ezra's voice spoke from behind her. "It took me years of practice and persision to carefully trace each line and each shade. Now, I know the paint quality might not be the same, but-"  
  


"Shh, shh, shh, shh_**hhh**_." Sabine put a finger to his lips. "This wasn't _all _for Hera was it?"  
  


Ezra shrugged. "Maybe it wasn't. What of it?"  
  


Sabine only stared at him.  
  


Before any of them could move, they jumped out of their skin when Exar hollered, "Woo! You can feel the chemistry over here."  
  


"Seems more like sibling connection to me." Kaiyah mumbled.  
  


"Nah, there's tension between them." Exar argued.  
  


"Can we help you?" Ezra asked, somewhat annoyed.  
  


"Ha! He said 'we.' " He poked at Kaiyah. "Yeah, I was just wondering when we could get a move on? I pulled our supplies into the cargo bay."  
  


"Oh, yes." Ezra broke away and headed for the cockpit.  
  


"No! You're not driving." Sabine said, chasing after him.  
  


Exar smiled and nodded at Kaiyah; she shook her head in return.  
  


"Governor Bennar Calfan. Do you believe in, 'force gods?' " The Vong Senator asked him.  
  


"I do."  
  


"Lieutenant Governor Calista Calfan. Do you believe in 'force gods?' " He then asked Calista.  
  


"Well, yes."  
  


"Would either of you say that many of your actions were biased due to your beliefs?"  
  


"It's quite possible."  
  


"You see, Governor. We of the Senate constantly strive to make peace in the galaxy, even for those who don't believe in the force or force gods. But that would be hard for us to do if we're being led by someone with strong beliefs in the force. To compromise peace between believers and non-believers will be hard."  
  


"Hard for non-believers as yourself, you mean. Because whether people realize it or not, non-believers are some of the most trouble-making causes in the galaxy. Anytime anything force-related is discussed or promoted, non-believers gather and protest with insane _rage_. Simply because people have a different mindset. I believe the likes of those people are not the ones that need to be in command."  
  


"That is not entirely true, Governor. Do you not remember who led the opposers of past wars? Palpatine, Darth Vader, Supreme Leader Snoke, Kylo Ren. What do they all have in common? The force. There are non-believers, and believers on our side; but those believers think the force is behind each of the galaxy's problems. Tell me I'm wrong."  
  


"No, you're not wrong, but you sound like a pro-Imperial. You're apparently against the force and want to remove it from power."  
  


The Vong Senator shrugged. "And?"  
  


"And if it is, the enemies of the Jedi will return and we will be wiped out. Order Sixty-Six will be completely fulfilled."  
  


"Oh, but, Governor. You did confirm that the sith's secret weapon was destroyed, yes?"  
  


"Yes."  
  


"Was the sith destroyed?"  
  


. . .  
  


"Governor?"  
  


"It takes time and strategy to take down the likes of them-"  
  


"_So the sith are still at large_!" The Senate stirred at this news.  
  


"It's nothing we haven't handled before. If the Republic acts as one instead of tearing itself in half, we can come out on top."  
  


"Most wouldn't agree."  
  


"Who? Those who would declare war against the Jedi?"  
  


"Those who would bring peace where danger is most prominent."  
  


"How could any of this bring peace? If I am impeached and people hear of why, there will be chaos, and the Republic will be more vulnerable."  
  


"Vulnerable to what?" The Senator asked rhetorically.  
  


. . .

_'He's persistent.' _Bennar thought.  
  


"Evil exists because of this. Disagreement. Disagreement taken out of hand. Nowadays, people outrage over everything. If something they don't support is promoted in the _slightest_, people outrage; if an anticipated _luxury _is delayed because of a violent fallout or an important man's death, people will outrage. People have just become so obsessed with themselves and what they want, that they don't want to see the bigger picture. People are, obsessed with their core beliefs that anything or anyone that would dare say otherwise gets trampled. People have hardened so much, and I've intended to change that."  
  


"What has changed?"  
  


"Peoples' faith in the Republic."  
  


"Yet the sith are still here. I ask you: when will it end?"  
  


That question spiraled through the Calfans' minds.  
  


"I. . . I don't know."  
  


The Vong Senator nodded with a smug grin. "I rest my case. If anyone else would like to speak up, feel free."  
  


Calista and Bennar were both worried; Bennar grabbed Calista's hand and they both squeezed.  
  


Sabine flipped a few switches and the hum filled the Ghost. Everything was functioning properly.  
  


"Yes!" Ezra pumped his fist up and down and jumped into the air. "Let's go!" He yelled as he slapped down into the co-pilot's seat.  
  


"Yeah, but how are we getting out?"  
  


"The Ghost is sitting on a pressurized lock. Once we start lifting off, doors will open above us."  
  


"Impressive." Sabine complemented as they started lifting off. Kaiyah and Exar joined them in the cockpit and strapped in as the Ghost flew again.  
  


"Once we've escaped the atmosphere, I'll need one of you two to check the fuel system." Ezra told Exar and Kaiyah.  
  


"Alright." They responded.  
  


The ship was properly maintained, and they had entered outer space.  
  


"Okay my horned friend, tell us where we're going." Ezra said.  
  


Exar placed a card in front of Sabine in the pilot's seat; the card had a set of coordinates to an unknown region of the galaxy.  
  


"You sure the Ghost can get us there?" Sabine asked.  
  


"Yep." Ezra nodded in anticipation.  
  


"Have you properly kept the hyperdrive in shape?"  
  


"Yep." Ezra nodded in anticipation.  
  


Sabine grinned as she entered the coordinates and pulled the hyperspace lever, and the stars began flying behind them.  
  


"So, tell me more about this Ephraim guy." Ezra said.  
  


"Well his secret dealings as a double agent with the bad guys didn't settle well with the governor and he was banished from this galaxy." Exar said.  
  


"What's he doing out here?"  
  


"To be frank, he's helping stop something terrible from coming."  
  


"Who knew of his secret dealings?" Ezra asked.  
  


"Well, that's complicated. I didn't exactly know either, but I felt obligated not to really end him. He was my friend, but then something blurred my mind; the next thing I knew, we were enemies, but we didn't want each other dead. When I found out the Republic was hunting down rumors of the sith, I didn't know why, but I had to keep them from finding out."  
  


"Like a hunch?" Sabine wondered.  
  


"Kinda." Exar replied. Suddenly, that phrase sounded familiar and seemed important, but he couldn't remember.  
  


"How do you guys keep in touch if he's so far away?" Ezra asked.  
  


"Well, that's a completely different story."  
  


_In An Unknown Region Of The Galaxy  
  
_

It was dark, and sandstorm-y. A sun shone in the sky, but the unique atmosphere darkened -what was supposed to be- the normal blue. Ephraim strolled hard through the heavy storm, using radio signals to trace the sith he had been following.  
  


Since his life outside the Republic, he had taken a new life and a new form.  
  


_ **   
  
** _

His device was slow, but efficient. The needle directed him forward, and he kept going that way. It was round, like a compass, but for a more sophisticated way of tracking. It was powerful enough to see through storms.  
  


The device then started gowing haywire. The needle started going in circles, going faster and faster. He picked up his voice recorder and spoke into it. "Coordinates: fifteen degrees North, thirty eight minutes and forty-two seconds. Thirty degrees East, fourteen minutes and fourteen seconds. I've located another hotspot. The force is strong here, but not in a good way. I've been successfully tracking the sith, but still have no clue as to his whereabouts. For now I can't do anything, but-"  
  


Ephraim dropped everything he was holding as the sith suddenly dropped down from above him with a green lightsaber drawn. Ephraim flipped back and drew his old red lightsabers.  
  


The sith moved like lightning; he was good with his hands and lightsaber. They spun like rotary blades, and Ephraim could only defend himself.  
  


Ephraim tried stabbing towards the center, near his hands; but the sith had predicted the move, and swerved around it. Ephraim summoned dark lightning from his hands and repulsed it around him. The sith was knocked back.  
  


"Who are you?" Ephraim asked the sith.  
  


"Wrong question." The sith replied before disappearing.  
  


"Two can play at that game." Ephraim said before disappearing into smoke. "The dark atmosphere is on my side."  
  


"But the planet is not." Ephraim heard before he felt like he was penetrated. He somehow came back from his smoke form and fell to the ground. He quickly got back up and pulled out his lightsabers again. The sith returned and retaliated.  
  


"You know nothing about me." Ephraim said.  
  


"On the contrary, I know all about you. And your friends."  
  


"Why did you attack the Besalisk?"  
  


The sith didn't respond; in a flash, the sith zoomed forward and the next thing Ephraim knew, he had blacked out.  
  



	5. Chapter 5

  
Chapter 5  
  


Aang and Jo were training and working out while not knowing much of anything else going on, and it was laying on Aang and Jo's minds for a while.  
  


"What can we do about it?" Jo asked Aang when they finished.  
  


"I've been thinking about that too; but considering politics, it's probably none of our business. We won't be let in on it."  
  


"So that means: nothing?" Jo asked.  
  


"Not particularly. Remember when I said that I was friends with some of the greatest minds in the galaxy?"  
  


"Yeah and I've been wondering why they haven't gotten involved in anything yet." Jo replied.  
  


"We can't afford to have them exposed to the enemy."  
  


"Wait, if you're saying what I think you're saying, then _why now?"_  
  


"Because I think the force has been telling me it's time."  
  


"Well, can we go meet them?"  
  


"That was the plan."  
  


Aang and Jo took off into hyperspace after leaving Coruscant; they took a Republic transport to make their way off the planet.  
  


"How far away are these guys? I'm just saying, I'm tired of going places outside the known galaxy."  
  


"No, I completely get it. Believe me. We're heading to Alsakan; it's only a couple parsecs away."  
  


"Alsakan." Jo murmured unpleasantly.  
  


"What is it?" Aang asked, swerving his chair around.  
  


"Alsakan was home to one of the most diabolical doctors the galaxy ever knew. Cornelius Evazan. I've only heard stories of him; but geez, every time I hear his name, or the planet, I get chills down my spine."  
  


"Must be hard with that in your head. Expecially since you grew up as a doctor, right?"  
  


"Yeah." Jo mumbled as he slumped in a seat.  
  


Aang wanted to condole him for the bad memories probably flooding his mind, but he didn't know what exactly to say. So he just let it go for the moment.  
  


They arrived at Alsakan; Jo had to admit to himself, Alsakan was beautiful. Average compared to others, but beautiful. _'Maybe it won't be so bad.' _He thought.  
  


"How do your friends live here?"  
  


"Well. It's not a widely-known planet; therefore overpopulation doesn't pollute the resources in which it thrives." Aang replied.  
  


They landed near some dome buildings; Jo found them familiar. "Do these guys have any relations with Kaminoans?" He asked as they made their way in.  
  


"Kinda. They were fascinated by the cloning technology and learned of their scientific interests, hoping to team companies to help make the galaxy better. Their work, is always credited partially to the Kaminoans."  
  


"Interesting." Jo said. "What kind of stuff have they made?"  
  


"You'll see." Aang replied as they entered through the door.  
  


Once they entered, Aang took a deep breath and shouted, "_**HELLO BOYS! I'M BAAAAAAACK**_!"  
  


They stood there for a couple moments before some figures emerged from another room. "I know that voice anywhere! Aang, how you doing buddy?!"  
  


"I'm doing great! How about you?" Aang asked.  
  


"Brinking again. So you brought a fr-" The man tripped backwards and nearly collapsed.  
  


The other two helped him up; the Jedi sensed one of the others was emotionally shaken.  
  


"Mind if I inquire about the sudden waves of emotions coming from you guys?" Aang asked waving a finger in circles, swerving his head between them and Jo. His head stopped when he saw Jo's face.  
  


Jo's eyes were widened, and his mouth sagged. Aang sensed shock, confusion, and only slight anger.  
  


"Um, Jo. Mind if I ask what's going on?" Aang asked, completely oblivious.  
  


"Well, Aang. Um, your friend here, uh, he. . . he was my surrogate father."  
  


The man stood up, wide and teary eyes bulging as they stared Jo down.  
  


"Kell Loren."  
  


"Jo." Kell and one other voice called. Kell and Jo looked to another scientist, who wore a radioactive suit, as he removed his radioactive mask.  
  


Jo stared back. The same emotions were emanating off of him, but he looked a bit more unsettled.  
  


"Well well well. Darin Guga." Jo said monotonously; no one could tell his emotions and his mental condition about what was going on. "How'd you two survive?"  
  


"Jo." Kell slowly approached Jo. Jo didn't move, only his eyes shifting upward as Kell got closer. Once he was close enough, Kell wrapped his arms around Jo's shoulders and pulled him in close. Kell slowly let his tears fall down his face. "Son!" He sobbed.  
  


Jo's face went from straight, slowly contorted to sadness. He then also slowly let his tears fall. They invited Darin to join in, and they endured the sweet, emotional reunion.  
  


"So you've been inventors ever since?" Jo asked.  
  


"We've been slowly changing the galaxy ever since. Providing more efficient ways of doing other simple things. We've left the significant bounds to the Kaminoans."  
  


"Is there anything new you guys have done?" Jo asked.  
  


"That's actually why I brought us here now. They had just finished something." Aang said.  
  


"What something?" Jo asked.  
  


"A weapon." The third scientist said. "I am Jorus Navarr, and I have created the new blaster." Jorus pulled a cloth off -what looked like- a regular looking blaster. "If you'll follow me."  
  


They entered a small, newly established shooting range. The target was a pillow tied to an actual target.  
  


"What possible advancement can be made to a blaster? It's the most efficient killing machine _non_-force-sensitives can use." Jo wondered, prepared to be amazed.  
  


"You really wanna know?" Jorus held the blaster up and cocked it. He turned and aimed the gun at the target. A second later, he pulled the trigger. The split second he pulled the trigger, a loud crack-boom was heard, echoing through the room. The Jedi saw as the pillow seemingly exploded and the feathers poofed sround it. Jorus turned back to Jo with a grin, blew on the tip, and said, "I call it the _'invisible bullet.' _"  
  


" _'Bullet?' _Interesting. How does the effect of this thing differ than that of a blaster?" Jo asked.  
  


"Blaster wounds puncture, but they can be healed easily. But a bullet," Jorus said, holding up a bullet and a bullet shell, "will remain in the body, making it harder to treat the wound."  
  


"Effective." Jo mumbled.  
  


"Now! What can we help you with? I'm sure you didn't come here for a demonstration." Kell asked.  
  


_Back In The Senate, Many Hours Later After Recess  
  
_

"Members of the jury, have you reached a decision?" The Vong Senator asked.  
  


"We have." The lead juror replied. "Concerning the safety of the Republic and the strategic advantage we'd have with a force-sensitive leader, we have chosen in favor of. . ."  
  


Bennar and Calista waited anxiously.  
  


"The Senate."  
  


Weights dropped onto them like anvils in their stomachs. The Senate had voted them out of office for their beliefs in the force._ 'And so begins, the collapse of the Republic.' _Bennar thought.  
  


"Coming up on Ephraim's last known position." Exar said, pulling the Ghost out of hyperspace. The three came face to face with a dark, almost camouflaged planet.  
  


"Perfect place to hide." Ezra said.  
  


"Now let's see what's down there." Exar added.  
  


The Ghost landed on the dark, sandy plains. Everyone piled out to take a look, but there wasn't much to look at. Everything seemed to be all gray. The clouds were a darker shade; there were tall sand mountains as far as the eye could see.  
  


Ezra stepped forward and looked off into the distance. He saw a swarm of storm clouds that weren't heading in their direction; something was off about them. "I have a feeling we won't have to go very far. We should set camp here; we'll form a plan then."  
  


The team gathered in the cargo bay of the Ghost as the weather dropped on the planet.  
  


"There was something strange I sensed about that storm I saw in the distance." Ezra said.  
  


"Like what?" Kaiyah asked.  
  


"Like a lead?" Exar wondered.  
  


"I think we'll get an answer there. I think that should be our destination." Ezra suggested. "We're close enough that we don't have to take the Ghost."  
  


"But we have to wait until the weather goes up. We weren't prepared for extremes like this." Exar pointed out.  
  


"Have you ever been to Hoth?" Ezra asked.  
  


"No. Why?"  
  


"This can't be colder than Hoth." Ezra replied, getting up and wedging open the ramp door. He stuck his lightsaber hilt outside for a second and brought it back in again. The hilt was frozen solid. "Yeah. This is colder than Hoth."  
  


"Guys, I think you're all missing the obvious answer!" Kaiyah said simply, holding up a hand and sparking a flame.  
  


"How will that help? We can't hold fire. Er, can we?" Sabine said.  
  


"This, is no ordinary fire." Kaiyah said, getting up and embiggening her flame. "It does as I control. It won't go out by itself; I keep it alive. By my power, others can 'hold' a flame. Here, try." Kaiyah said, stretching her arm out.  
  


Exar, taking her word for it, slowly reached his hand under the hovering flame. Kaiyah relaxed her fingers and retracted her hand, and the flame resided above Exar's.  
  


"Wow!" Exar exclaimed, speechless.  
  


"I saw it in a show once."  
  


"It feels like a little heartbeat."  
  


"I heard that in the same episode. Now, everyone come on."  
  


Ezra and Sabine got theirs; before the ramp opened, Ezra asked, "Will these be enough to keep us warm until we get to our destination?"  
  


"These are no ordinary flames." Kaiyah replied.  
  


Sabine then asked Exar, "Where do you think your friend is in all this?"  
  


"Hopefully, safe."  
  


Ephraim awoke in a daze; he couldn't move, but he could feel everything. The only light he could see was the one above his head; everything else was dark.  
  


"Get used to the light." A dark, mechanized voice said. "It will be the last you will ever know."  
  


"Could you be more cliché? Who are you?" Ephraim shot.  
  


"Who I am should be the least on your mind."  
  


"Right." Ephraim retorted sarcastically. "Where am I?"  
  


"Now you're getting somewhere." The same sith from before swung down in front of him. "This is where you will die; this place is a maze of your worst nightmares."  
  


"Your point?" Ephraim cocked an eyebrow.  
  


"My point," He held up a needle. "Is this." He injected the needle into Ephraim.  
  


Ephraim winced slightly, then said, "You know whatever it is you're up to, it won't work. The Republic will stop your new Empire."  
  


"Empire? Oh, naive student. I'm a part of no Empire."  
  


"Who are you calling student?" Ephraim asked before smoking out of the restraining table -he found out he was in- and knocking the sith down. "Because it seems like I just taught you a lesson." He finished before smoking away.  
  


"_**You can run!**_" The mysterious sith yelled, getting back up. "_**But you won't escape the darkness. I promise you that!**_"  
  


Ephraim was only around the corner, listening to his statements. _'Strange words for the likes of him.' _He thought before making his escape. _'But why isn't he going after me?'  
  
_

Bennar and Calista secretly contacted the Chancellor in hopes of receiving help.  
  


_"Calling again so soon? What is it __**this **__time?" _The Chancellor asked curiously, also with a slightly playful tone.  
  


"A recent development. We. . . have just been voted out of office." Bennar said plain and simple.  
  


_"Oh. Quite unfortunate."  
  
_

"We're hoping to you can offer some advice. Guidance of some sort. We were ruled out by a, heh, _ridiculous _bias against force-sensitives."  
  


_"Oh, no. I meant unfortunate for them. Because as long as you two are favored by me, you still have a say in the works of the Republic."  
  
_

"Lucky you're not a force-sensitive, or not even _you _would." Calista said.  
  


_"Indeed. Now that you have no further business there, I would like you to join me on Kamino as we finish production on our army. Bring some transport ships with you, as well."  
  
_

"We'll get right to it."  
  


Jo tested out some of Kell, Darin, and Jorus's inventions as they caught up(I would go into more detail, but I can't reveal certain things just yet); he was very impressed at the work that had been done by the hand of his father, uncle, and new friend.  
  


Jo was testing out the range of the "Invisible Bullet" as the conversation started moving along.  
  


"Sounds like it's been getting more serious out there." Kell said.  
  


"Have you guys not kept up?" Jo asked.  
  


"No. We've completely isolated ourselves from the outer word, from technology other than our own; as to not lead desperate characters here to end up taking some of our stuff." Darin explained.  
  


"So that's why you never tried looking for me." Jo assumed to Kell, lowering the advanced blaster.  
  


Kell sighed. "I'm so sorry Jo. After the incident at our hospital, I didn't want to take any more risks; I didn't want anything destructive enough to end up killing you. You must understand, I had to hide. If I could've had it any other way, I _would _have -_**without a doubt**_\- contacted you first thing."  
  


"Ok." Jo said quietly. "I guess you're right."  
  


Jorus -waiting until the conversation was over- inserted himself with some stones and a slingshot. "That was legitimately touching. Not too much, but still touching. Say, Jo. Now that the range has been tested, hows about you test your aim?"  
  


Jo raised his eyebrow. "Don't mind if I do." He said as he reloaded the Bullet and recharged his arms.  
  


"Ready?" Jorus asked, pulling back on the stone in the sling.  
  


"Go for it." Jo said, activating the automatic aiming system in the mechanical part of his head. The system connected to his arm, and he was ready.  
  


Jorus shot the stone far; and within a second, it bounced another direction.  
  


"Impressive." Kell complemented. Jo grinned.  
  


Aang engaged further in the conversation from earlier. "So if it's alright with you, we'd like to borrow one or two of your inventions for mass production purposes; they might give us an upper hand in this new war."  
  


"It does sound like an idea. But what if it doesn't work? Then those things will be 'out there' and the enemy can pick them up from a dead soldier."  
  


"Hold on!" Jo shouted. All heads pointed at him. "What war? We haven't had a battle in a while. For all we know, the enemy's resources could have dwindled greatly because of the Death Star attack."  
  


"_Death Star_? Can people not be original anymore?" Kell wondered.  
  


"Even if," Aang added, "These weapons could win the war for us. This Invisible Bullet could blast the sith and they wouldn't see it coming."  
  


"Why hasn't there been any battle recently? Other than the resources?"  
  


"Well. . ." Aang looked at Jo and back at Kell. "Shortly after the last battle, I was shot by a mysterious sniper. We tried catching him, but he even evaded our best guy. The Republic has been doing all they could to track him. Another friend of mine is taking a team to track him down as we speak."  
  


"So. . . _both _sides are now vulnerable?"  
  


. . .  
  


!  
  


Exar, Kaiyah, Ezra, and Sabine were out of the storm shortly, and had only a straight path ahead of them until they reached Ephraim's last destination.  
  


"This place gives me the creeps." Kaiyah said.  
  


"Me too." Everyone else replied at once.  
  


. . .  
  


Exar smacked his lips. "But we're still going in."  
  


"Yep." Ezra replied.  
  


"Am I the only one who thinks we're walking into a trap?"  
  


"Maybe. Maybe not." Exar responded.  
  


Kaiyah adopted an expression of determination. "We will do _whatever _it takes to _save Ephraim_."  
  



	6. Chapter 6

  
Chapter 6/Part 1 Epilogue  
  


Bando sat to himself in a meditative position, though not meditating. He was distraught, tapping his thumbs repeatedly.  
  


_'Who __**is **__he?' _He thought.  
  


He stood up, walked to the nearest wall in his room, leaned his hand on it and closed his eyes.  
  


_'A new variable has entered the field.'  
  
_

_ **'Do you plan on doing anything about it?'  
  
** _

_'I dunno. Do you plan on doing anything other than be a random plot device used to build suspicion?'  
  
_

_ **'Don't discriminate me, Roscoe. Which new variable is it?'  
  
** _

_'The Besalisk's near-assassinator.'  
  
_

. . .  
  


_ **'I see.'  
  
** _

_'What? What is it?'  
  
_

_ **'This was one result I foresaw, though it was not one I saw us taking.'  
  
** _

_'Oh.'  
  
_

_ **'You know now, you have to move very carefully from now on.'  
  
** _

_'So then. We're in a timeline of unforeseen consequences. The third path.'  
  
_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  


As Exar strolled on through the dark plains, a sudden familiarity struck him.  
  


"Something wrong?" Ezra asked.  
  


"There's something familiar about this place."  
  


"That can't be possible. This place has been abandoned. How can you recognize it?" Sabine asked.  
  


"You'd be surprised. Jedi get this sort of thing all the time. Or at least my kind." Kaiyah said.  
  


"Humans?" Sabine asked.  
  


"No. The kind that were raised the way Exar and I were, the way Ephraim was. We weren't looked up on, not that we were ever made known." Kaiyah explained, to which Exar exaggeratedly coughed.  
  


"What is it you feel about this place?" Ezra asked, bending down to Exar's level.  
  


"The overall dark aura I feel. It's so familiar, I feel like I've been here before. Recently."  
  


"That does seem very unlikely. Considering the, location's, inconspicuousness. It's never having been noticed before." Ezra protested.  
  


"This place does seem to have been unpopulated for many centuries, but I. . . I. . . _have _been here before." Exar stopped, wide eyed.  
  


"When?"  
  


"Whenever Aang, Jo, and I went after the Sith, we ended up landing here, randomly. Here, we discovered the Cave of Secrets." No one said anything for a moment, then Exar continued. "It's strange. When we were around the cave, there was no hint of weather at all. Just temporary fog, but never any wind. Like, no hint of weatehr at all. Here, there are below zero snow storms, electrical storms, and rain storms."  
  


"That can be common among planet regions. What's your point?" Sabine asked.  
  


"With these storms, I've felt a high concentration of, not the dark side; but something very, different. Something very off."  
  


"That could be a cause behind this?" Kaiyah suspected.  
  


Kaiyah's speaking gave Exar a thought, concerning the storms.  
  


. . .  
  


"Of all the storms we've seen, what one element has not yet rained?"  
  


Kaiyah caught on. "Fire."  
  


"Bingo!" Exar confirmed. "The weather seems to have been under dark conduction, and it's given us a hard time; I'm betting this sith is behind it."  
  


Ezra put two and two together. "You want us to rain fire."  
  


Exar laughed somewhat maniacally. "Give _him _a hard time. We can draw him out and take him down."  
  


Kaiyah opened her palm and sparked a small flame. "Just tell me when."  
  


"Now!" The sith appeared out of nowhere and phased his arm through Ezra's chest.  
  


"Ezra!" Sabine shouted as he collapsed to the ground; she caught him and laid him down carefully.  
  


The other three ignited their lightsabers. Exar took out both ends of his double-bladed blue lightsaber for this fight, Sabine ignited her custom lightsaber-proof sword for the first time, and Kaiyah swung her red blade out.  
  


"You can't hope to defeat me, now." The assassin said, drawing out his double-bladed red lightsaber.  
  


The three charged at the assassin, who blocked their attacks and dodged all bodily strikes.  
  


"He uses Form II. Don't let your guard down." Exar instructed.  
  


"Perceptive." The sith complemented. Everyone took their turn swinging at their new opponent, but no one could lay a finger on him; he was too fast.  
  


Although, Sabine was furious and ended up giving him a challenge. All the sith did was block; he didn't try to harm her or anyone else. Everyone else could "sense" the assassin did not think into the situation, and that aggravated Sabine even further into determination.  
  


Sabine swung her blade faster and harder until she found an angle which she could kick him down.  
  


The assassin was tripped but got back up immediately, spinning around to give his swing momentum more force; however, that was his miscalculation. Once he faced them again, he took a direct hit to the top of his head, knocking him down. He retaliated by swiftly thrusting at her, knocking her to the ground next to Ezra.  
  


Sabine saw Ezra's lightsaber next to his belt, quickly picked it up and swung around at the sith before he could do anything. She was satisfied with the sound of lasers clashing with metal. She saw that she had sliced a bit of his mask off.  
  


Ezra and Sabine widened their eyes as they got a good look at his one eye that was shown to them, before Kaiyah let out endless streams of flames on the sith. After a moment, she stopped, then saw he was unsinged. In fact, he seemed to absorb the flames.  
  


"The last one." The sith said before the sky began to light up like fire. "Better find shelter." He said before he disappeared. "It's 'boutta get hot up in here."  
  


"Come on!" Sabine shouted to the others, lifting Ezra up. Exar assisted her, while Kaiyah pushed back the fire balls that neared them.  
  


They drudged through the dark plains while pressured by heat and death. They reached the top of a hill and looked on; an abandoned castle of some sort was there, almost buried within another hill.  
  


Sabine looked at the others, who nodded. They pulled and pushed on until they reached the shelter in the castle.  
  


Sabine laid Ezra down on the ground to observe his wound. He was barely breathing; Exar kneeled down to do so as well. He hovered his hand over the wound, "scanning" his insides around the injury.  
  


"This is no ordinary dark-sider. This is a higher form of force-usage. Only a few people would know of this sort of trick, like-"  
  


"Bando." Ezra coughed up.  
  


"What?" Exar and Sabine asked. Ezra began sitting up; the others started moving to lay him back down, but their eyes widened as the wound began shrinking out of existence.  
  


"Bando would know of tricks like this. And only his closest companions."  
  


"Like Geoff." Sabine added.  
  


"So we got some questions for this guy." Exar said before looking into the entrance of the castle. "And I have a feeling we'll find them here."  
  


"I must admit, I am growing fond of the new facial design." Kell complemented, observing Jo's new cybernetic half-face.  
  


"I designed it myself, in case such a dire situation occurred."  
  


Kell's face darkened. "And such a case _did_?"  
  


"Yeah. But it's okay now!"  
  


"What happened?"  
  


"Complicated story. So, we have a friend in the Republic. Well, he wasn't actually our friend, but at the same time he _was _our friend. So, that friend who wasn't actually our friend but _was _actually our friend turned out to be a sith, but my friend didn't tell me that; so I thought our friend who wasn't actually our friend but _was _actually our friend whom I befriended was very _un_friendly and cut me in half again. So he wasn't _actually _our friend then, but he was our friend at the same time, but I didn't know that. It was only later revealed that he was actually our friend the whole time, but also not our friend, but for the greater good."  
  


"But cutting you in half is never something a friend would do." Kell said, placing a hand on Jo's shoulder.  
  


"Weeeeeeelllllll nowadays-" Jo slowly stammered.  
  


"That part's the long story." Aang intervened. "But we should be leaving now. Contact us when you've made a decision. Alright, guys?" Aang said, making his way back to his ship.  
  


"We will." Kell replied. He then knelt in front of Jo and embraced him tightly. "I will see you soon, my son."  
  


Jo reciprocated and bid his friends farewell; Kell and Darin saw them outside.  
  


Jo was about to close the ramp of the Republic transport, but he had one last thing to say. "Kell." He started. "If I was in your place, there would be nothing between me and my family. Not even work." He dropped the mic as he closed the ramp.  
  


"Jo." Aang said. "The way you handled that was epic."  
  


"I've handled worse."  
  


"Oh?"  
  


"You and Exar leaving me out of your lives for that long while and neither of you wanting to change it."  
  


"Ooh." Aang recoiled sarcastically. "Got me there. So, that was your, _surrogate _dad?"  
  


"Yeah. Crazy all the paths that cross in these kinds of times." Jo replied, reclining in his seat.  
  


"Speaking of crossing paths, we should get to Exar. He'll need all the help he can get."  
  


"How are we going to find him?"  
  


Aang simply pulled a tracking device from his cloak. "We've been keeping a tab."  
  


"Alright! Well, let's just go back and get our stuff to prepare for, whatever it is we might encounter."  
  


Bennar and Calista packed for a long trip and were escorted to a docking bay, where a surprise escort awaited them. Rye, Erickson, Nikki, and Nicolette captained the party in support of them. Viran, Vustine, Bree, and Dex tagged along.  
  


"We heard of your loss. We're so sorry." Nikki said, placing an arm around Calista's shoulder.  
  


"You know her?" Erickson asked.  
  


"Thank you Nikki. It makes me sick that they would make such a decision." Calista answered.  
  


"It's despicable." Nikki agreed.  
  


"Your honor." Viran announced his presence.  
  


"Viran." Bennar actually smiled. "I'm glad you're here."  
  


"So am I. With the Senate acting irrationally, all I can do is how my support, which is all I'm here to do." Viran politely stated.  
  


"That's what I need to hear right now." Bennar said, walking aboard the ship with him.  
  


The former governors and their Jedi escorts boarded and took off.  
  


"May I inquire as to where we're going?" Dex asked.  
  


"We're visiting the Chancellor." Calista answered.  
  


"Oh! I've never seen the Chancellor in person!" Vustine exclaimed. "This will be such an honor."  
  


"Indeed. Is visiting all we'll be doing?" Dex asked.  
  


"You'll see." Calista stopped.  
  


The Republic ship exited hyperspace in the Kamino sector. They landed, and the Chancellor's personal, armored escort awaited the Republicans at the platform.  
  


"Oh, a business visit. Exciting!" Dex said, partly sarcastic, but partly serious.  
  


"What we're doing here will help us against the new Empire." Bennar said.  
  


"Is _'what we're doing here' _above our paygrade or something?" Dex asked.  
  


"Nah." Bennar said flatly. "Just giving you a hard time."  
  


"Then this leaves only one question: _what are we doing here_?" Dex asked as everyone put on rain cloaks.  
  


The ramp lowered, and both teams met halfway.  
  


"By the light of Lothal's moons." Calista said to the lead guard.  
  


The guard nodded, then guided everyone along. "The Chancellor is awaiting inside."  
  


"Very good." Bennar replied as they were all lead inside.  
  


Ephraim walked around the dark caverns of the strange building complex he was being held in. He crept with extreme caution as he sensed dark activity endure around him. What was strange to him was that it seemed like it was a singular dark force eminating from all over.  
  


He sensed nothing internally wrong with him. The needle that was injected into him worried him a little bit, but it seemed to have no effect on him. Yet. He dialed his senses up one hundred percent and remained alert of any wrong-going-on in or around him.  
  


"What game are you playing at, sith?"  
  


He heard something fall to the ground, and he nearly jumped out of his skin.  
  


"I need to get out of here!" He said before picking up his pace.  
  



	8. Chapter 8

  
"Is Ephraim in there?" Kaiyah asked.  
  


"He is." Exar answered, his eyes closed. "But something's going very wrong with him."  
  


"Is he alone?" Ezra asked suspiciously.  
  


"That, I _can't_ say. If I could track his signature, I could; but I couldn't find any trace of anything in him. He had some kind of mental shield around him, keeping me from his mind."  
  


"Seems like he likes mind games." Kaiyah said, then it snapped to her. "_That's _his game! It has to be. Whatever he does next, we must move cautiously, or we will get caught in his mind game."  
  


"I agree. Now, let's venture onward." Exar said, moving forward into the castle. It was dark, so they needed a light. "Kaiyah, if you would be so kind."  
  


Kaiyah snapped, but no flame produced. She frowned, then hovered her hands next to each other; but no spark emitted at all. "Whatever that sith did to me took my power away."  
  


"But whatever that sith did to _Ezra _didn't last." Exar pointed out.  
  


"Besides, we have more than one source of light." Ezra added, igniting his lightsaber. But it didn't help; they saw nothing. They looked back and only saw the way out.  
  


"Is this worth it?" Sabine asked, slowly clinging to Ezra's arm, which Exar found to be somewhat amusing.  
  


"There's definitely a thing between them." Exar whispered to Kaiyah.  
  


"No there's not." Kaiyah whispered back.  
  


Exar then proclaimed, "Now I don't know much, but what I do know is that Mandalorians are supposed to be fearless. Am I wrong?"  
  


"Sabine is different." Ezra defended. "Besides, _everyone's _afraid of _something_."  
  


"I'm not afraid." Sabine convincingly defended. "Am I the only one who got a strange chill running down down my spine?"  
  


"I sense something too." Exar said. All of a sudden, the castle doors closed, and Ezra's lightsaber glow faded.  
  


. . .  
  


"Guys?" Exar said.  
  


"Yeah?" The three other voices answered.  
  


"Grab a hand. I have night vision."  
  


Everyone did so, then began following the direction they were lead in.  
  


"Sabine?" Ezra said.  
  


"Yeah?"  
  


"Your hand is cold."  
  


Everyone stopped. Exar looked back at whatever Ezra was holding onto. "Dude. That's not her hand you're holding."  
  


"Gah!" Ezra freaked out, letting go and wiping his hands on his shirt. Whatever he was holding disappeared into the distance.  
  


"Don't move!" Exar instructed swiftly. He looked around for the being, but didn't find it. "Okay. It seems like we're adjusting to the darkness in here. What do you all see?"  
  


"I can see outlines." Ezra said.  
  


"Same." Kaiyah and Sabine said at the same time.  
  


"If I move slowly, can you guys follow?" Exar asked, moving slowly ahead.  
  


"Yeah, we're good. My eyes are adjusting more." Ezra said. _'Man, that was creepy. Whatever it was.' _He thought.  
  


"Okay. Everyone stay together. I think I see something up ahead." Exar said, moving slowly but surely towards it. "Okay! Good!" He exhaled in relief. "It's a door."  
  


Exar opened the door, and saw a dimly lit hallway. Everyone followed him in.  
  


"Oh geez! A dimly lit hallway in the middle of a pitch black castle in the middle of nowhere. This place gives me the creeps. Anyone else?"

. . .  
  


"_**Guys**_?" He turned around, and no one was there. The door was gone; it was just a wall. Exar was officially freaked out. "_**Guys**_!" He shouted, running to the wall and slamming on it. "_**Can anyone hear me**_?!" He stopped when he noticed the lights were flickering due to his pounding.  
  


_'Oh no no no no no no no no no no no!' _He crouched to the floor, becoming scared. "Where are the guys when I need them?" He couldn't move. He just quivered in paranoia. He definitely sensed something very dark about the dwelling, and he was beginning to have second thoughts about investigating.  
  


"_**Guys**_?!"  
  


"_**Hello**_!"  
  


"_**Is anyone there?!**_"  
  


"What am I going to do?" Exar said with a quiet breath.  
  


Aang and Jo returned to Coruscant and returned the ship to the docking bay.  
  


"Hold it! You there!" A Republic guard called after Aang and Jo.  
  


"Problem?" Aang asked.  
  


"What do you two think you're doing?"  
  


"We're. . . going to help save our friends?" Aang replied, not so sure how to answer.  
  


"You two took this Republic transport without authorization."  
  


"Right now, time is of the essence." Aang started arguing.  
  


"Is that so? Well you kids can go do whatever when you answer to the authorities.  
  


Aang snapped. He was about to retort, but Jo stepped in. "If I may!" He gave Aang a stern look.  
  


"Republic, technician, whatever you are, sir. Do you know who we are?"  
  


The guard remained silent.  
  


"We're Jedi. We're legit Jedi. Technically, we're _your _authorities."  
  


"Yeah nice try. Come along." He tried dragging Jo and Aang along, but Jo countered and faced the guard.  
  


Jo waved his hand in front of the guard's face. "You will not report us to the authorities."  
  


"I. . . will not report you to the authorities."  
  


"You're going to let this accident slide."  
  


"I'm going to let this accident slide."  
  


"Good." Aang caught up. "Let's go."  
  


Aang and Jo were walking away, but Jo jumped back at the last second. "You're going to give yourself a swirly!" He spoke with great speed.  
  


"I'm going to give myself a swirly."  
  


As Jo began cracking up, Aang dragged him away, stifling his own laughs.  
  


Kaiyah was in her own separate hallway. She didn't budge one bit.  
  


As she was sitting on one tall rock pillar around a seemingly infinite abyss, with only a roof.  
  


She kept herself as still as she could, for as long as she could, hoping she would be found. Somehow.  
  


Dust got in her face, and she tried to keep herself from sneezing; she thought it would tip her balance and send her falling to her death.  
  


But she failed. She sneezed. She wiggled around and kept herself up, but she heard something happening above her. She looked upand saw that some pebbles fell. She watched as the pebbles fell, but was suprised when it stopped; it was level with the surface of the stone pillar she was on.  
  


. . .  
  


_'Mind games! Right.'  
  
_

She stood up slowly, and took a step forward. She didn't feel to confident at the moment and thought she was actually going to fall. She felt her heart jump out of her chest as she stepped off the rock, but didn't fall.  
  


"Why am I so afraid? I've never been _this _afraid before. Well, I've never been this seemingly high before. Still, _**I **_was trained to be fearless." She said to herself. She took steps forward, but noticed she was violently shaking. "It has to be this place. It's having a negative effect on me, forcing my guard down." She decided to stick with that theory. "Gee, I hope the others are doing okay."  
  


She slowly started picking up her pace as she was walking forward. She persisted until she was running in the air.  
  


She saw something in the distance and ran towards it with everything she had. But just before she could make out what it was, she began falling. The shock took her and she began screaming.  
  


_**'**__**WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!**__**' **_She harshly thought to herself.  
  


"I was taught to overcome my fears, but this is too real!"  
  


She fell, and fell, and fell. Then the ground approached. She reached her arm out to try to break her fall, but she was too late. She fell down onto the ground.  
  


She didn't feel immense pain. "Oh, _**blast it**_!"  
  


She opened her eyes and found herself back in the hallway; suddenly, she felt safe, but paranoid.  
  


_'I am here.' _She heard a voice out of nowhere.  
  


"Who's there?!" She waited, but the voice didn't repeat itself. "This place is already messing with me. Ha! I'm talking to myself. I typically don't do that."  
  


"If I ever get out of this, I'm. . ." She didn't actually think about that. _'If this is what Jedi missions are like, then I don't really want any part of it. If i get out of this, with Ephraim. . .' _One thought struck her head, but she discarded it to save it for when she'd get out.  
  


She looked around and saw no doors, but a dark end of the hallway. "If that's the only way to Ephraim." She said to herself, approaching the end of the hall.  
  


"Wait, were there any doors?" She looked back to check, but immediately regretted it. A ghoulish spirit appeared and launched itself at Kaiyah. She screamed, fell to the ground, turned back around and ran.  
  


She reached the end, but it was another wall. She almost ran straight into the wall, but she ended up falling through it. She fell into another room, but no longer felt watched or chased, but she was hyperventilating and was still spooked out.  
  


"Ephraim! Please be okay!"  
  
\---

The Master awoke from a lengthy meditation with a darkly positive attitude. "His reign is nearing its end."  
  


He meditated in a desolate area on his planet. The area was ancient ruins of a sith temple; many of the ruins held secrets to deep mieditation almost no one ever knew. The skies were always dark; the clouds were gray and had red tints around them; the sands were an orange-red shade. The planet's aura favored the dark side.  
  


The Master rose and returned to his base via force portal. He disappeared into the air and appeared back in the base.  
  


He appeared in the army control room and activated the intercom. "Members of the Imperial army for the Empire. Prepare for battle. Our time is near." He spoke as he grinned menacingly at what he said will be the fall of the Republic and the Jedi.  
  


"It will be reborn. The right way."  
  


He had many, many battalions of stormtroopers, heavily armored star destroyers, and other Imperial vehicles at his ready.  
  


"They think they have us cornered." Judro said, entering the control room. "But they have no idea what they're up against."  
  


"Oh, they do." The Master retorted.  
  


"Que?"  
  


"I say: they know what they're up against, but where their fatal mistake is where they underestimate us."  
  


Ezra trekked down the dark, creepy hallway with almost no fear. All that was on his mind was what he saw when he looked into the assassin's eye. He had a theory about what it could be, but considered it far fetched.  
  


"Ezra?"  
  


"Sabine?!" Ezra shouted. "Sabine! Where are you?"  
  


"Ezra!"  
  


Ezra heard a different voice, a deeper, masculine one. One he knew too well. "Kanan?"  
  


"Ezra, I'm here." This time, Kanan's voice remained.  
  


"I know Kanan. As long as your life is preserved, you're always with me."  
  


All of a sudden, Kanan stepped out from the shadows, shocking Ezra.  
  


"Kanan?" He asked again.  
  


"Ezra." Kanan said again. "I'm _here_."  
  


"What? No. You can't be. Kanan, you died. You died saving us. We liberated Lothal; we were able to do it because of you."  
  


"Now, you have me."  
  


"How? This is probably an illusion, just like my first trip back at the Jedi temple."  
  


Kanan placed a hand on Ezra's shoulder. "Ezra."  
  


"Uuum." Ezra started feeling uncomfortable. "No! _**No**_! This isn't real. You're not real!"  
  


Kanan stood still, motionless and expressionless.  
  


. . .  
  


"Kanan?"  
  


"You killed me."  
  


Ezra recoiled at the statement. "Wh-what?"  
  


Kanan grabbed Ezra's shoulders and shook him. "You killed me, Ezra!"  
  


"What? No! No I didn't."  
  


"You could've saved me!"  
  


Ezra couldn't do anything; he was too shaken.  
  


"You could've done more!"  
  


"No."  
  


"Why didn't you do more?"  
  


"I couldn't!" Ezra cried from under pressure.  
  


"_**You killed me, Ezra**_!"  
  


Ezra cracked, then shouted "_**NO**_!" using the force repulse around him. When Kanan was pushed back, he began screaming.  
  


Ezra stood, but rested his hands on his knees. He looked on in mental pain as Kanan writhed around, screaming. He reached out to him, but something happened that he didn't expect. When he reached out, a beam of energy shot out from his hand and landed on Kanan.  
  


Kanan screamed louder as his skin melted off his body; Ezra couldn't look away, but watched in horror.  
  


Then he heard several voices cry out in terror. He turned and saw several more melting bodies of different species' crawling towards him. They latched onto his leg and began climbing on him. Ezra began shouting in disgust, trying to push them off; but when he pushed, bodies would climb onto his arm. He was pulled down, and all he could do was shout his lungs out.  
  


Then it all stopped.  
  


He was shaking, but slowly looked up. He saw he was back to where he was.  
  


_'I am with you, my child.' _Ezra then heard out of nowhere.  
  


"Who? Who are you?"  
  



	9. Chapter 9

  
Back on Coruscant, Bennar's ship was undergoing final stages of repairs. Upon its finish, a repairman discovered a strange round object embedded on an old shell of debris from the ship. He tried picking it off, but it wouldn't budge.  
  


"Hey!" The repairman called to other fellow workers. "Is this supposed to be here?"  
  


"I don't think so."  
  


"Get me the governor's foreman."  
  


"Another clone army." Dex said. "Are we all sure this is really the best idea?"  
  


"We're positive." Vustine said.  
  


"We program them this time, so there will be no betrayal or sith overthrowing." Bree added.  
  


"But am I the only one who thinks that an army would not only seem too defensive, but may also give our system a loophole?"  
  


"How do you mean?" Calista asked.  
  


"People have lately been revolting against the Jedi. If we make these guys our defense, I feel like things will only escalate. How long before people full-on riot against us?"  
  


"A clone army will help us immensely against the enemy. The Republic will go back into another clone war; if people don't see the fault of their ways then, then they are lost." Bree said.  
  


"But what if they riot?" Dex persisted.  
  


"Master Inigo," Bennar cut in. "Trust that whatever happens, happens for the greater good. Trust that the Chancellor knows what he's doing. Wait, is the Chancellor a 'he?' "  
  


"Has anyone actually seen the Chancellor in person?" Dex asked.  
  


. . .  
  


"I'm sure _someone _has." Bennar assured him.  
  


"Note." Vustine spoke up. "The last Chancellor who lead the Republic into a clone war ended up being the Jedis' enemy. Isn't this a little shady? Seemingly no one has seen the person who's overseeing the production of a clone army. May I ask: who else knows about this?"  
  


"The production of a clone army is a need-to-know basis. For now, we obey our orders." Bennar said.  
  


"Bennar!" Calista quietly shouted. Bennar looked and saw Calista with his emergency holocall blinking. "It's your foreman."  
  


"Excuse me, masters." Bennar bowed before he and Calista entered a hallway to take the call.  
  


Bennar opened the call, but didn't see the foreman. "Who are you, where's the foreman, and why are you using this line?"  
  


_"I apologize, your honor, but if I told you where I last saw the foreman, you wouldn't believe me. I just found something attached to a part of broken machinery from your ship and I think you'll find it interesting." _An image showed in place of the worker, but his voice was still heard. _"I'm no technician, so I'm not quite sure what it is. I just thought you should know."  
  
_

"It's a hyperspace tracker." Bennar said.  
  


"What?"  
  


_"What?"  
  
_

"_That's _how the assassin was able to track me from on my way here back to Coruscant to try to kill me." Suddenly, Bennar got an idea. "See if you can get a scientist to reverse the tracker back to its origin. We might get a lead on enemy suppliers.  
  


_"Yes sir. I know a guy or two who can help."  
  
_

"Get whatever help you can, but _be careful who you trust_."  
  


_"I will."  
  
_

The transmission ended, then Bennar got _"a look."  
  
_

"What are you thinking about doing now?"  
  


"I know where the sith is. And I still have a score to settle with his kind, _and _I have a feeling others will be there. If we go and assist, we can take him down."  
  


Calista was surprised, but didn't show it. "We?"  
  


"Calista, my wife. Will you go on this adventure with me?"  
  


"I will stick with you in life and death, as I promised you."  
  


Bennar smiled at the memory of the time they became one. "I'm sure the Chancellor will understand."  
  


"It's unlike any tracking device I've ever seen. Not as ancient as Imperial devices-" Aang said, describing the tracking device.  
  


Jo interrupted, "And it's too complicated for First Order."  
  


"Right. This is a very different design; so if we track a point of origin, we will get a lead on enemy suppliers."  
  


"Aaaand I'm getting another transmission." Jo said.  
  


"From who?"  
  


"The Lieutenant Governor. This is a coded message. She says: we have the location of the sith. We're heading there now. Sending coordinates."  
  


Aang stood up quickly. "This is a leap up!" He said, shocked. "Why are they going alone in the first pLAce, though?"  
  


Jo waited a moment, receiving coordinates, before answering. "What are Exar's coordinates?" He showed a hologram of the coordinates.  
  


Aang held up his tracking device, and the coordinates matched.  
  


"We should get going."  
  


"Yeah."  
  


_"We're on our way." _Aang spoke into the hologram.  
  


"Very good. Be fast." Dex said.  
  


_"I shall also note that I have some friends there already. Don't keep them waiting."  
  
_

"We'll have a whole team there?! This may be a decisive victory against the Empire."  
  


"I can only imagine the satisfaction going to be on their faces."  
  


Sabine had a feeling something was watching her, and she had her blasters at her ready. She speedily paced herself as she glided across the moldy, dark, long hallway. She reached the end, but there was no door.  
  


"What? This can't be it." She pushed the wall in case there was a secret door. "Kriff!"  
  


She looked back and saw a door -she knew was not there before- on the wall. She dashed to the door and opened it, and it was dark. She knew she would have to go in at some point, but she did not want to be trapped. She broke the door off its hinges as to have a way out, just in case.  
  


"Can you help me?" She heard a childish voice from the darkness.  
  


_'Oh my gosh no! Please be real!' _Sabine thought.  
  


The lights flickered on, making Sabine jump. Then she spotted the child in the corner. She couldn't tell if it was male or female; the face was dirtied up, and the hair was short.  
  


"Help getting out of here?"  
  


"I need help."  
  


Cautiously, Sabine approached the child, bent down, and held her hand out.  
  


"Come with me."  
  


"Come. . . with. . . me."  
  


"Take my hand. Come with me."  
  


The child slowly, lightly grabbed Sabine's hand. "Come. . . with. . . me." The child slowly stood. "To dinner." The child opened its mouth, revealing several rows of long fangs. As its mouth opened more, it extended and several more rows of fangs appeared. The eyes separated.  
  


"Oh heck no!" Sabine shouted, trying to pull her hand back.  
  


The child roared and tried pulling Sabine's arm into its mouth. Sabine pulled out a blaster and shot into its mouth.  
  


The creature didn't die, but it fell. It jumped onto the wall, screeched, and crawled towards Sabine like time was sped up. Sabine continued shooting it until it died. It fell off the wall and remained still.  
  


Then Sabine heard the sound of war behind her. She turned around and beheld a very familiar sight. Stormtroopers fighting Mandalorians; the battle was in the capital of Mandalore itself.  
  


Sabine noticed the stormtroopers were being overrun by the Mandalorians. Then she noticed a fleet of Imperial walkers approaching the battlefield. They spread out and seemed to halfway surround the Mandalorians. Then again, she bore witness to the Duchess. Two of them. They activated and decimated every Mandalorian in sight.  
  


Sabine didn't take it as personally, because this was obviously of the past. Then she saw a strangely-armored Mandalorian emerge from behind the walkers. _'Why didn't he get dusted?' _She asked herself.  
  


The strange figure walked into the battlefield and picked up one of the dropped Mandalorian helmets. He seemed to stare into it, then he crushed the Mandalorian iron into pieces like it was nothing.  
  


A trooper approached the figure and said, "We are sending reinforcements ahead to the palace. Shall we pursue, Lord Roscoe?"  
  


_'Bando?!'  
  
_

"Destroy _anything _in your path." Bando agreed.  
  


Sabine then heard a child-like whisper from behind her. "_It was all you_."  
  


Sabine was devastated, but also curious. "Why? They were your kind, Bando."  
  


It took a moment, then the devastation hit her. There was a force of wild emotion sweeping over her as she fell to her knees and wept. Bando was responsible for the Empire's lockdown of Mandalore, and responsible for the deaths of thousands of Mandalorian rebels.  
  


_'Where is the good in all this?' _Sabine asked herself.  
  


Then a voice called out, _"Though you walk through the valley of death's shadow, fear nothing."  
  
_

"What does that mean?"  
  


Sabine then felt something drip on her shoulder. She looked up and saw it was raining. She looked around, then spotted someone in the distance. It was foggy outside, but it was clearing; when it started clearing, she saw that the person was standing in front of three gravestones. She noticed it was Bando because he was wearing his apparently custom-made Mandalorian armor; his helmet was on the ground.  
  


She slowly approached him from behind and observed. He was crying. She read the gravestones, and noticed each surname was _'Roscoe.'  
  
_

"Not a day passes when I don't regret not being able to save you. But I swear to you, the Mandalorians will pay for what they have done. I will take away everything they have, just as they've done to me.  
  


She felt a little more understanding now. His grudge against Mandalorians wasn't just pure hatred because they were violent; there was more to the story, and she found out. She knew he wouldn't have told her everything because she was Mandalorian, but that was alright because she knew now.  
  


This turn of events was not cheerful, but it was definitely not scary. There was a light to it. "I understand, Bando." She said.  
  


Exar was no longer in a hallway; his surroundings were all black. No hint of light anywhere.  
  


"Why is it always darkness?"  
  


"Because that's all there is. And all there will be." Exar jolted at the dark voice that echoed around him.  
  


"Reveal yourself."  
  


He then found himself in space. Aang and Jo were in their ships. "Guys!" He exclaimed.  
  


"What are we going to do once we get them?" Exar heard Jo ask.  
  


"Continue the war, as usual. But Exar will be there." Aang replied. Exar recoiled.  
  


"I can't stand his depressing burden. The only thing I really like about our missions is that he's not sad. Every other time, he's usually just alone and expects us to fix his problems for him."  
  


_'That's not it at all.' _Exar thought. _'I was counting on you guys to cheer me up, not to fix my problems.'  
  
_

"I'd feel worse if we left him there, though. We'd be responsible for his disappearance."  
  


Exar was shocked that was even in consideration.  
  


"We'll just have to put up with it for now. We'll figure something out when the war is over."  
  


"And to compare your situation of not going to the bar with us." Aang laughed.  
  


"I am totally sorry for that." Jo laughed too.  
  


Everything faded into darkness, and Exar lowered his head and let tears stream down his face.  
  


"You are not loved. The Jedi are hypocrites. They're only in it for the benefits."  
  


Exar found himself in an empty room, and he let himself slide to the floor.  
  


Kaiyah found another door. "Please be the end! I can't take this anymore!"  
  


She opened it and saw just a small empty room. She was somehow forcibly pushed into the room, and the door closed.  
  


She sarcastically laughed like a lunatic. "I am so _**done with this**_!" She ran towards the wall.  
  


Exar's skeleton nearly jumped out of its "cocoon" when suddenly a wall was smashed open.  
  


Kaiyah emerged from the other side, looking worn out and breathing heavily.  
  


"Kaiyah!" He exclaimed. He got up, but she motioned for him to stop.  
  


"Are you real?" She asked him.  
  


"Uh, y-yeah?"  
  


"Prove it."  
  


"What should I do?"  
  


"Something only you can do."  
  


"I can tell you that we're here to save your special friend Ephraim. In this place, he could be so lost."  
  


"I don't think any dark sider here could know that. Unless we met before."  
  


The room shook, then the room turned into a cave.  
  


"If I was real, I'd be seeing this too; if I wasn't, I would have changed along with it."  
  


"I'll take your word for it."  
  


They heard hoards of screaming people coming their way. They turned around and saw them running.  
  


"They're only Zabraks and humans." Exar said, then he and Kaiyah connected the dots here.  
  


As the people ran, strange, spectral beings flew around, sucking the life out of everyone as they passed. People tried fighting back, but had no effect on the ghosts.  
  


"Are you seeing these?" Exar asked shakily. Kaiyah only nodded.  
  


In time, everyone was dead, and what was once Exar and Kaiyah's home was now in ruins.  
  


Exar felt more in despair now, and collapsed to his knees as they returned to the small, square room.  
  


"Hey, hey." Kaiyah soothed, patting Exar's shoulder. "It's all in the past. You know our people were massacred, right? What makes this different?"  
  


"Experiencing it and knowing my future afterwards was all for naught."  
  


"What do you mean?"  
  


"Jo and Aang. They don't want me around. I might have well just died here."  
  


"Don't say that!" Kaiyah said, strictly. "Listen to me." She put both hands on his shoulders and sternly looked into his eyes. "Whatever you've been shown is a lie. This place is messing with your mind."  
  


"How do I know _you're _not fake?"  
  


"I wouldn't be supporting you like this."  
  


Exar remained silent for a moment, then felt something grab his leg.  
  


"Ugh. What is that?" He turned his head and saw a small arm holding his foot. "AAAH MY GOSH!" He made a move to try to remove it, but more arms grew out and continued grabbing onto him. It was happening to Kaiyah too.  
  


They found themselves screaming too, as the arms grew from the wall, floor, and ceiling of the room. The arms grew in size and freaked them out even more. Dead bodies emerged from the walls and fell down to the ground, scooching themselves on their faces.  
  


Exar and Kaiyah were horrified at the moment. They looked up and saw a single eyeball open on the wall and stare at them. The eye lit up on fire, and everyone sensed a dark presence in the room.  
  


One concentrated area of the floor grew arms, and those arms grew arms and formed a creature made of hands. Evil eyes filled with darkness appeared, and a wide, malicious grin grew.  
  


Exar and Kaiyah -creeped out and unable to move- were breathing heavily and were very afraid. The evil creature remained staring them down several long moments. Then it opened itself and revealed horrific features -they couldn't even describe- and seemingly overtook them.  
  


_"You can't fight the darkness."  
  
_

They then fell flat on their faces and scurried to their feet, brushing themselves off, yelping and shouting at the same time.  
  


"Are you okay?" Kaiyah asked.  
  


"I'm clean! I'm clean! You?"  
  


"I think I'm good, too."  
  


"I do not want to be touched again for a month."  
  


"Me neither. We need to get out of here before we lose our sanity."  
  


"I'm almost there."  
  


"Point proven."  
  


_"Be not afraid, for I am with you."  
  
_

"Please tell me you heard that too." Exar begged.  
  


"I did. I heard the same voice earlier."  
  


"Really?"  
  


"When we get out of here, we have to learn more about this place."  
  


"I don't want anything else to do with this place."  
  


"You gotta be curious though. Like, why do we hear some kind of supposed-to-be uplifting message after we live through a nightmare?"  
  


"That'd be the only thing I'd want an answer to."  
  


"And I have a feeling something terrible is coming soon. We gotta be there to stop it."  
  


The Jedi throughout the galaxy felt a cold shift in the force, and it chilled them to the core.  
  
  



End file.
